


Seven Days

by JayWrites



Series: Love, Hurt, & Misery [3]
Category: Actor RPF, American Actor RPF, Australian Actor RPF, British Actor RPF
Genre: Explicit Language, F/M, sexy fun times, well...eventually
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-27
Updated: 2014-08-27
Packaged: 2018-02-15 01:44:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 21,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2211027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JayWrites/pseuds/JayWrites
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cassie is having a hard time professionally and personally. Luckily, Tom's there to comfort her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Day One

**Author's Note:**

> Because I love going back over Tom/Cassie's burgeoning relationship.

Cassie sat on the couch. She had a bottle of water in one hand and a script in the other. She screwed up her face when she came to a scene she disliked. “Ugh…what is this shit?”

Charlie walked through and heard her. “What’s the matter,” he asked while adjusting the tie on his suit.

“This goddamn script I’m reading.”

“These the ones George sent you?” Cassie nodded. “What’s wrong with it?” He leaned over the back of the couch to get a better glance.

“It’s badly written for one thing.”

“You’re just being mean. I bet it’s perfectly fine.”

She was ecstatic when George, her agent, informed her that he has some quality roles that were well suited for her. She nearly knocked the mail carrier over in excitement when he entered the building. However, that joy had settled into indignation when she saw the parts that were offered her. “No.” Cassie adjusted herself so that Charlie could get a clearer look at the script. “Look, ‘Rosaline,’ that’s the part George thinks I’m ‘perfect’ for, ‘runs down the hallway. She’s panicking. She tries the first three doors. Nothing happens. Suddenly the last door opens. A bright light shines; beckoning her to enter. She does—reluctantly.’ Well at least she’s reluctant about it, right? ‘Dramatic music plays. We hear Rosaline’s screams and the sound of a body getting chopped up.’ Then they cut to a new scene.”

Charlie raised an eyebrow. “Wow. That _is_ pretty horrible.”

“Told you. This movie plays up every horror movie cliché it’s not even funny.”

“Well…maybe they’re doing a _Cabin in the Woods_ type thing. You know, deconstructing it and shit.”

“Or…maybe they’re just doing a really shitty ass horror movie.” Cassie sighed. “Plus, the character dies twenty pages in. I don’t even get to die on screen.”

“Isn’t that a good thing? Doesn’t that mean you’re not really dead?”

“Normally. Except this is the last page the character has any lines. About another eighty pages in, the other surviving characters stumble upon my dead body and ‘mourns’ me before swearing and screaming and running away.” Cassie groaned, closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. “It’s like nobody’s trying anymore.”

“Well…what about the other ones George sent you?” he signaled to the stack of scripts that sat on the coffee table in front of her. “There’s gotta be at least one good one in there, right?”

“Sure…” She grabbed one of the scripts. “In this one I get to be the sassy, single black friend to some white bitch. In _this_ one, I get to play the white male lead’s one night stand. And in _this_ one, I get to play the strong black woman to another white bitch. But no sass! I’m just a cold, miserable black bitch.” She threw the last script down and placed her head in her palms. “This isn’t how I thought it would be, Charlie.”

Charlie sat next to her. “Oh, Cas…” He rubbed her shoulder. “It’ll get better, I’m sure.”

She lifted her head. Her eyes were watery but refusing to become tears. “When? I mean…a part of me knew that I would see this shit but I guess…I thought…”

“You thought that with all the hype and the awards, you’d get better offers…”

She nodded. Charlie really did understand her. In the last year after they premiered their movie _Inopportune Affairs_ , they won awards for directing and screenwriting at Sundance; followed by another strong showing at Tribeca where Cassie, much to her surprise, won the best actress award; and finally, the film won the People’s Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival. It wasn’t long after this that _Affairs_ caught the attention of Hollywood. The film was given a limited release and garnered nearly universal critical praise. Then came the promotional circuit—talk shows, magazine photo shoots and interviews—which then led to the film opening nationwide. Eventually the film was nominated for Best Original Screenplay (which it subsequently won) at the Academy Awards.

Cassie often wondered that maybe the success of the film happened too fast. Did she even deserve any of the accolades that had been bestowed upon her? How many people got to make their dream come true on the first try? She sighed. “Am I stupid?” She bit her bottom lip and shrugged. “I guess I thought that I at least would get the chance to _write_ good roles even if I never had the opportunity to play them. I mean…that’s reasonable, right?”

Charlie gently placed Cassie’s head on his shoulder and rubbed down her arm. “Or course it is, Cas. And you’re not stupid. Hollywood is. Eventually, they’ll find out what they’re missing.”

Cassie sniffed. “Yeah. But by then I’ll be back in Louisiana working at Cato’s again. And when everybody’s asking me where are all my awards—because you just _know_ they’ll ask—I’ll tell them I’m using them as paper weights and door stoppers because that’s the only fucking use I’ll _ever_ get out of them.” She straightened herself up. She lifted her head back and blinked, trying to prevent her still watery eyes from turning into tears. If she started crying now, she might never stop. Once she adjusted herself, it was then that she noticed Charlie’s attire. “Why so formal?”

“Oh. Um…I just have a meeting. A small meeting.”

“‘A small meeting,’ huh? With who?”

Charlie cleared his throat while looking away from her. “Just a meeting.”

“Unh-huh…It’s with some big wig producer isn’t it?” Charlie sighed and nodded. Cassie felt horrible. Here she was wallowing in her own self pity when one of her best friends had an amazing opportunity that he refused to tell her about. “Charlie, dude…You don’t have to feel bad for getting meetings and shit. My failures and your successes have nothing in common, babe. You can tell me.”

“You’re sure? Because when I tell you who the meeting’s with I don’t want you to get upset. Because you’re gonna get upset.”

“Ugh. Stop being dramatic and tell me!” Charlie sighed and mumbled a response. “Dude. Stop being a chicken shit and tell me who the meeting’s with.”

“Spielberg.” Cassie’s eyes grew wide; her mouth dropped open but no words came out. “Oh god, Cas. You said you weren’t gonna get upset.”

“Who’s…” Her voice cracked. She cleared her throat and calmly continued on. “Who’s upset?” She gave a weak smile. Charlie scoffed at her attempt.

“I knew you’d be pissed.”

“No! No. I’m good. I’m so happy for you.” She gave him a slight hug. “I bet you’re gonna do great. In your meeting…with Spielberg.”

“Okay.” Charlie didn’t believe her. He knew that she would obsess over this. He arose from the couch. “I have to go or I’ll be late. I’m taking the car, okay? I’ll fill it up when my meeting’s done.”

Cassie nodded and wished him good luck. The weak smile still plastered on her face. She hated herself. She knew that Charlie deserved that meeting yet she couldn’t get over her own troubles to even pretend to be excited for him. “Cassie, you selfish, selfish bitch.” She thought of ways she could make it up to him. She had a few extra dollars saved up for non-specific splurging. She could take him out to dinner. He’d eat a nice meal and she’d eat crow. Cassie sent Charlie a quick text apologizing for being “a jealous selfish bitch.”

The apartment door slammed open drawing Cassie’s attention. Daya strutted into the apartment. Cassie greeted her but Daya only glared in response and continued walking towards their shared bedroom. “The fuck did I do now,” Cassie asked herself. She followed Daya into the bedroom. “So…I take it your audition didn’t go as well as you hoped, huh?”

Daya sucked her teeth. “No. It went great. I got the part.” She rolled her eyes and pushed past Cassie.

Cassie scoffed. She took a long, slow breath. Their relationship had grown sour in the last week but Cassie had no idea why. _Stay calm, Cassie. Stay calm._ She returned to the living area and grabbed her scripts. She noticed Daya out of the corner of her eye leaning against the counter in the kitchen and eating a cup of yogurt. Cassie rolled her eyes. She figured someone had to be the adult. “I’m glad you got the part, D.”

She turned to walk away but Daya cut her off. “No, you’re not.”

“Excuse me?”

Daya didn’t look up from her yogurt. “You heard me. You’re not glad.”

That was it. Cassie threw the scripts back on the couch and crossed her chest. “Don’t tell me what I am, D.”

Daya calmly licked the last of her yogurt off her spoon before throwing the cup in the nearby trash can. She sauntered up to Cassie. “You’re. Not. Glad. You’re full of shit, actually.”

Cassie tensed her jaw and squeezed her upper arms. She chuckled slightly. “You know…I don’t know who pissed in your cereal this morning but it wasn’t me, all right? I already had a pretty shitty morning, Daya. Don’t make it worse, okay? Do not.”

Daya sucked her teeth. “Don’t try to roll up on me, Cas, just because you don’t like the truth.”

Cassie rolled her eyes. “Fuck you.” She turned to walk away but Daya blocked her.

“Right. Run away right when it gets too hot. That way no one can call you on your bullshit and you can keep pretending like your some perfect…”

“I’ve never said I was perfect!”

“Oh really? Then how about always jumping down my throat about the roles I want to take?”

“The fuck…That has nothing to do with me thinking I’m perfect. It has to do with me thinking you’re better than playing the ‘sexy Latina’! Excuse me for that, I guess…”

“I take what’s offered to me!”

“Yeah and that’s bullshit! You’re better than that! That’s all I’m saying. That’s all I’ve _ever_ told you!”

“Oh, so you’re just gonna forget the shit you said to me last week?” Cassie opened her mouth to reply but couldn’t. She actually _did_ forget what she told Daya. She looked away shamefully. Daya smiled scornfully. “Yeah. I thought so. Lemme refresh your memory. You called me fake.”

Cassie furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. “I never…I _would_ never…”

“Your exact words were: ‘D, when are you gonna stop pretending to be something you’re not’ Remember now?”

“That don’t mean I called you fake!” Cassie bit her lip. “Okay…you wanna do this? Then let’s do this. You _are_ constantly pretending to be someone you’re not. And I would love to blame it on this Hollywood bullshit but you’ve been doing that for as long as I’ve known you.”

“Bullshit…”

“Oh now look you can’t handle the truth!”

“You know what you’re problem really is, Cas?”

“No, but I’m sure you’re dying to tell me,” Cassie interjected.

“Your problem…is that you’re jealous of me.”

Cassie let out a loud laugh. “Are you fucking kidding me?”

Daya folded her arms across her chest and shifted her weight to one side of her body so that now she had an attitudinal stance. She was unfazed by Cassie’s derisive laugh. “The only reason why you constantly shit on me is because you wish you were me.”

Cassie put a hand to her head and said, “Oh my god…”

Daya continued, “You wish you were as pretty as me. As outgoing as me. As talented as me…”

Cassie cut her off. “Talented! Oh now you’re really tripping. I got talent! If you don’t believe me check the awards…” Cassie bit her lip. She didn’t want to throw her achievements in Daya’s face. She knew it was a sore spot for her. Although Daya’s performance had been well received, it was Cassie’s performance that had the most resonance with critics and audiences alike. Daya never hesitated to show her shock (and annoyance) at the attention that was directed towards her friend and, up until now, Cassie would often grin and bear it.

“Oh…I bet you were just _dying_ to throw that in my face.”

“Daya, I-I-I didn’t mean…”

“Yes, you did. Don’t forget that I’ve known you since we were five-years-old. I know you better than you know yourself. You were just waiting to throw that one little comeuppance in my face. Fine. Have it. You won awards. But that’s all.” A lump was forming in Cassie’s throat. She opened her mouth to speak but, once again, found herself speechless. She bit her lip and Daya rolled her eyes at the action. “Stop biting your goddamn lip! Stop acting like you’re some innocent little cherub that doesn’t want to hurt people!”

The lump remained in Cassie’s throat but now her head began to feel tense. She managed to choke out a weak “I’m not…” before being cut off by Daya.

“Oh god! Spit it out, Cas! Say what you’re really feeling.” Cassie looked down at her feet like a chastised child. Daya was the only person who made Cassie feel as small as she was feeling now. “Fine,” Daya said calmly yet tense. “I’ll say it. You and I both know that you’re _never_ gonna be more that what you are _right now_. Yeah, they threw awards at you but once all the hype died down…you’re just another black actress. And that’s all you’ll ever be. So you can pretend like the reason you’re not getting viable roles is because you’re picky or some shit. But the real reason is…once the smoke cleared everyone saw the real you. A hack who found success on a fluke.”

Cassie looked away. Those tears she fought back earlier slowly ran down her cheeks. “Go to hell, Daya,” she murmured while wiping away the tears.

“Fine. I have a callback later today. I should go prepare for it.” She started to walk away stopped short and turned back to Cassie. She couldn’t resist throwing in one last jab. “In case you’re wondering…a callback is what happens when you can actually _land_ an audition.” She smirked as Cassie gently shook her head in annoyance and exited.

Cassie slumped on the couch, put her head in her hands and cried. The loud buzzing of her phone caught her attention. She reluctantly picked it up. A small smile formed across her face. It was a text from Charlie that read: “Its OK Cas. U know I still luv u!”

—————————

Cassie absentmindedly twirled a fry between her index and thumb. She wasn’t hungry but when Tom asked her to lunch she jumped at the chance—it was better than being in her apartment. Tom stole a fry from her plate hoping to get a response out of her. When it didn’t work, he sighed and folded his arms across his chest. “Okay, Cassie. What’s the matter?”

“Hmm?”

“You’ve been quiet for the last thirty minutes.”

“Have I?”

“Yes. I stole a fry. Did you know that? Usually if I even joke about that you’re threatening to slap my hand off! So what’s bugging you?”

“Do you…” Cassie shook her head and pursed her lips before turning her head away from him.

“Do I what?” Tom wished he could read her face but her eyes were hid behind a pair of large dark shades.

“Nothing.”

“Don’t tell me it’s nothing, Cassie. Talk to me.” Cassie shook her head and sniffed. “Cassie…”

She sighed. “I got in a fight with Daya today. She said…she said some things and…I…”

Tom leaned forward. He wrinkled his brow in concern. “Well, what did she say?”

Cassie removed her shades and massaged the bridge of her nose. “She said that I was jealous of her,” she gave a scoffing laugh before continuing, “and that I was a talentless hack.”

Tom’s mouth dropped in shock. “She said what?”

Cassie licked her lips. “That I was a hack. That everything I got in the last year was just…a ‘fluke’ she said. I…”

Tom clenched his jaw. “She’s wrong. Cassie, you’re an amazing actress and writer.”

“Really? Because I think she’s right. I mean, I was never really an actress. Before _Affairs_ , the only other acting I did was minor characters in my high school plays. And I was fine with that! Acting wasn’t something I was ever really interested in. I didn’t even want to play that part in _Affairs_. Charlie talked me into that. I wanted to write. And I thought….” She swallowed hard. “I thought that maybe all these accolades and shit meant that I finally good at something. But, I think Daya’s right. It was just a fluke. _I’m_ just a fluke.”

“Hey! Don’t talk like that. No offense to Daya but you were amazing in _Affairs_. I cried.”

A small smile formed on Cassie’s face. “You always cry, Tom. You cry at horror movies, son.”

Tom leaned back and smiled mischeviously. He loved it when she called him “son.” She was the only person he knew that talked like that and he love the ease with which she spoke. “Call me ‘son’ again.”

“Don’t make me smile. I’m upset.” She began to twirl a fry again.

“Don’t be. Daya is just being…” He stopped short of saying “bitch” although the word continued to bounce around in his head. “Look…Don’t worry about her. Listen to your good friend, Tom. You. Are. Amazing. Every award that you and Charlie won was deserved.”

“Maybe…” Cassie took a bite out of the fry she was playing with.

“What did you say to her?”

“Nothing! I literally said ‘hey’ and she attacked me!”

“No. No, I mean after she insulted you. What did you tell her?”

“Nothing.” The words were barely audible.

Tom raised an eyebrow. “Wait…I know you, Cassie. You didn’t say anything to her? If I even jokingly said that to you, you’d rip me a new asshole.”

Cassie sucked her teeth. “Ya know, I’m getting really fucking tired of people telling me they know me. I swear if one more person tells me that shit…”

Tom lifted his hands in protest. “Fine. I’m sorry…But I just find it hard to believe that you said nothing in reply to her.”

Cassie was agitated. “Well I did,” she said tersely.

Tom knew he should just drop the subject but his curiosity got the better of him. “Yeah, but why? Why put up with her shit if you don’t have to?”

“Goddammit, Tom,” Cassie yelled under her breath. “What would you rather I had said? Hmm? I told her to go fuck herself. I told her to go to Hell and she laughed in my face. You don’t understand, Tom. If someone pisses you off. Fuck ‘em! You can hop in your expensive ass car and go to your big ass apartment or…or hop on a plane and go back to Britain. What can I do? Tell her to drop dead and then run into our shared bedroom and slam the door like a spoiled teenager? Or maybe take a short drive around the block. Oh wait, _that’s_ only if someone else isn’t already using our shared vehicle. And let’s say that the car is free. No one’s gonna be fine with me wasting gas on a hissy fit!”  

Tom leaned back in his chair. “Dammit, Cassie…”

Cassie realized her error. “Fuck. I’m so sorry, Tom. I shouldn’t take my anger out on you. You’re just trying to help, I guess. It’s just…” She took a deep breath and, her voice cracking, said, “I have no one here but Charlie and Daya. If I lose them…I’m all alone.” She looked away.

Now it was Tom’s turn to feel like an asshole. He really shouldn’t have prodded. He reached across the table and grabbed her hand. “You have me.”

She smiled. “Thanks but…What do we really have besides a few texts and tweets or a quick lunch whenever you’re in town? And even then we’re usually being followed by your fans.”

“What?” Cassie signaled behind him. When he turned he noticed a few women standing across the street with cameras in their hands. They let out a squeal when he looked at them and waved and called his name. He smiled and waved back before returning his attention to Cassie. “What? They’re cute.”

“Yeah…but that just proves my point.” Tom furrowed his brow in confusion. “Look…I like you. A lot. But…I mean we’ll never be true friends. Because no matter where I go you’ll always Tom Hiddleston and I’ll be some girl they’ll eventually crop out of your pictures. You’re like a…a rocket blasting off into greatness and shit and I’m…,” she gave a light chuckle, “I’m the dud that barely got five feet off the ground before crashing back down.”

“You know damn well that’s not true.”

“Okay…” She grabbed her glass of water, the ice long melted, and took a sip. “Whatever you say, Tom.”

He grabbed her hand again. “Look at me, Cassie, and listen. You’re not a dud and you’re not just some girl. You mean more to me than that. Don’t ever forget that.”


	2. Day Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassie spends the day over and Tom tries to control his feelings for her.

The morning brought a nice cool breeze. Tom loved running in the mornings. Not only was it a great way to start the day but it was also a good way for him to clear his thoughts. His mind went back to what he told Cassie yesterday. _You’re not just some girl. You mean more to me than that._ It was clear she didn’t take him seriously. She smiled and playfully called him a sap. A part of him was wounded though he was careful not to let it show. He had spent the rest of the evening feeling like a fool. Even now, hours later, he still felt that way.

 _Tom, you idiot_ , he thought. _If you really want to be embarrassed you should have just asked her to marry you. Then she would’ve cackled in your face. You’re just a friend to her. Nothing more._ He ran faster. If the music playing on his iPod couldn’t block out the thoughts, surely increasing his speed would work even less. He passed an attractive, buxom blonde. She smiled at him and he politely returned the gesture. He allowed himself to watch her run away. He once had a friend that told him, “The best way to get _over_ someone is to get _under_ someone else.” He laughed at the idea. What was there to get over? He and Cassie weren’t dating. He had messed around and “caught feelings,” as Cassie would say. He played himself. Besides a few playful flirting, Cassie had never made it known that her feelings went deeper than friendship.

He made his way back to his apartment. He passed the same buxom runner as before. He slowed down; she did as well. “Hello.” She was even prettier when she smiled.

“Hi.” Tom quickly glanced at her breasts before staring back into her eyes. “My name is Tom.” He extended his hand for her to shake.

She took it. “Ashley.”

“That’s a pretty name.” She blushed. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you running here before.”

“I just moved here a week ago. I’ve been pretty busy getting everything together. You know how moving is.”

“I do. Too well. I’m constantly traveling from either here or back home.”

“I thought I noticed an accent. You’re British?”

Tom smiled. “Actually, I’m French. I just use this accent as a ruse.” He looked left and right as if he was looking for a spy. “Don’t tell anyone.”

She giggled. “I promise.” She took a deep breath before continuing. “I don’t usually do this but, uh, you want to go grab some breakfast or something? I heard it’s the most important meal of the day.” She gave him that beautiful smile again.

Tom opened his mouth and his response surprised him. “I can’t…” He tried not to let the surprise show on his face. _Why can’t you?_

“Oh.” Ashley didn’t try to hide her disappointment. She was sure he was flirting with her. She knew when a man was interested in her.

“I just…I have a friend who’s going through something and they need my help. I don’t want to leave them alone too long.” It was the truth but even to Tom is sounded like a weak excuse. By the look that was now on Ashley’s face, he could tell she wasn’t buying it.

“Really? Well…Your friend made you miss out on something great. See you around, Tom.” She flipped her long, blonde hair and twisted away.

“What the hell just happened,” Tom asked himself aloud. _You dumb asshole!_ He continued to mentally kick himself while walking back to his apartment. The smell of something cooking hit him before he was fully inside. He walked to the kitchen and saw Cassie standing over the stove. “Good morning.” She was still too upset last night to go home. He invited her over to watch a few movies. Around midnight, she had fallen asleep in the middle of a movie and he didn’t want to wake her. Instead, he carried her to his bed while he took the couch. When he went out to run this morning, she was still slightly snoring in his bed.

Cassie turned to him. “Oh. Good morning. How do you like your eggs?” Her face bore no remnant of yesterday’s trauma. Tom was glad about it.

“Sunny side up. Um…What are you doing?”

Cassie chuckled. “I’m cooking breakfast, Tom.” She shook her head and returned her focus to the stove. “It’s the most important meal of the day.”

The comment, although innocent, felt like a strong punch to the gut. He murmured to himself, “So I’ve heard.” He stood behind her to see what she was cooking. Cassie bit her lip. Did he have to stand so close? “Are those pancakes?”

“Yep. Banana pancakes. I hope you don’t mind. I wanted to show my thanks for, you know, putting up with me. And for all those damn lunches you bought me.”

“Cassie you don’t have to…”

“Shh. I want to. You’ve been a good friend to me, Tom. And this is literally the least I can do. Now go wash up.”

Tom saluted. “Yes, ma’am!”

Cassie giggled. “You’re so silly.”

——————-

After he showered and changed, he returned to the dining area. Cassie had already set the meal out: pancakes, eggs and couple strips of turkey bacon. “Wow. This looks delicious.”

Cassie blushed. “Thanks. Have a seat.”

When he sat he noticed there was only one place setting. “You’re not eating?”

“I’m not really hungry. Do you want tea or juice with your breakfast?”

“Juice is fine.”

Cassie tsked. “I thought you were more British than that.”

Tom chuckled and then took a bite of the pancakes. “Oh my god…It’s like sex on a plate.” Cassie let out a loud laugh. “I’m serious! It’s so fucking good! I didn’t know you could cook.” Cassie placed the glass of juice on the table. She rested her head on his shoulder. Tom caught a whiff of her scent: vanilla. She shouldn’t be leaning on him and smelling like that or cooking like this. This is how a grown man develops a crush like a lovesick pre-teen.

“Thank you. And I can only cook breakfast foods. I’m much too lazy to actually give a shit about lunch and dinner.” She sat down in the chair next to him. Tom missed the weight and smell of her instantly.

“You sure you don’t want a bite. It’s pretty good.”

“Pretty good? Someone told me it was like ‘sex on a plate.’”

“Don’t get cocky, kid,” Tom laughed. He cut a piece of the stack of pancakes off, dipped it in syrup, and brought it to her lips.

“You want me to put my lips on your fork,” Cassie asked raising an eyebrow.

Tom thought, _I want you to put your lips on me. All over me._ However, he said, “I don’t mind” instead.  Cassie rolled her eyes. There was no point in resisting him. He watched as her lips lightly enveloped the fork. She pulled back and gave a slight “mmmm” while chewing. The action was sexy as hell. It took everything in Tom to not come across the table, giving no mind to the food on it, and kiss her. He could imagine licking the remaining syrup off her lips. He could imagine her moaning that “mmmm” into his mouth while his hands slowly slid up her thighs and narrow hips. He could imagine those strong arms wrapping around his neck while he kissed down hers; his hands finally resting on her round ass. He could imagine taking her right there. Her legs wrapped around him as he drove himself deep into her. She completely losing herself underneath him while calling his name. _Oh, Tom…Tom…_

“Tom!” Cassie’s voice bringing him back to reality. “Where’d you go? The look on your face…”

Tom cleared his throat. “I was just thinking about…something.”

“Yeah. I could tell.” She smiled mischievously. “I wanna know what, though.”

“None of your business.” He shoveled the eggs into his mouth. He could’ve cried at how good it tasted. “Damn. I thought I was a good cook.”

Cassie reclined back in her chair. “Well…I don’t wanna brag but, uh…southern girls do everything better.”

Tom smiled. _I bet._

——————-

Tom rubbed his eyes. He was tired. He looked at the clock. 2:13 a.m. “Damn.” He hadn’t meant to spend all night reading scripts but time had, somehow, gotten away from him. He sluggishly walked to his bedroom. He completely removed his clothes and underwear. Last night he had to actually sleep in pajamas out of respect for Cassie. He didn’t want to imagine what would have happened if she had, for some reason or another, gotten up in the night and saw him reclined on his couch; fully exposed. He offered to let her stay an extra night but she fought against it.

“I can’t run from my troubles forever. But thank you,” she had said before planting a soft kiss against his cheeks. He stood in the hall of her apartment building staring at her closed door while he waited for the elevator. He fought over just saying “fuck it” and knocking on her door, confessing his attraction to her, and drawing her into his arms. But those are the things romance movies are made of. In a movie, she would kiss him back, say that she’d always loved him and then they would make love (maybe to a top charting pop tune). The idea made him laugh. He was being ridiculous. Real life, sadly, worked differently. Those actions would get him a firm slap across the face, followed by a string of swears and probably end with her kicking him out of her life completely.  He’d rather have Cassie in his life as a friend than not at all.

Yet, when he returned to his apartment, it was evident that she had a great impact on it and him. It felt empty. The memory of entering earlier to the smell of breakfast haunted him; as did the memory of her laughter from her many visits or her casually calling him “son” or “my dude” in their conversations. He could still hear her arguing with him about his taste in music or books. “My dude, I can’t even pretend to fuck with you if you haven’t read _Invisible Man._ I’m gonna buy it for you so you can get your life.” The only place that bore no remnant of her was his office. He figured the only way to keep her ghosts out was to lock himself in there.

The plan worked until he groggily climbed into his bed and wrapped himself in the light covers. Immediately the scent of vanilla invaded his senses. He groaned and pulled the covers to his face. He inhaled deeply. “Goddammit…” he murmured. He had it bad.


	3. Day Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassie and Daya's friendship comes to a head and Cassie tries to hide a secret from Tom.

The blaring of her alarm shook Cassie out of her hazy sleep. She knocked over the lamp on the side table trying to reach her cell. She hit the off button on the alarm and pulled the covers back over her head. She didn’t remember the time she set on it but she knew it was too early to wake up. She had barely drifted back off to sleep before it went off again. She groaned. In her drowsiness, she had accidentally hit “snooze” instead of “dismiss”. “Damn. Might as well get up,” she mumbled to herself. She tried to moved but groaned in pain. She took a deep breath and managed to pull her aching body over the side of the bed. Last night had been physically and emotionally draining for her.

Tom had offered to let her stay an extra night at his place. She was tempted to take him up on it. It was nice not having to worry about how to handle Daya and their feud but she couldn’t run from it. The longer she avoided her problems the worse matters would become. She had to deal with it. That was the adult thing to do, right? She had barely gotten two feet in the door before Daya verbally attacked her. “Oh, now look who’s home! Man, I wish I had a rich, white boyfriend I could run off to when the heat got too hot to handle.”

Cassie gritted her teeth and spoke in a calm yet agitated tone, “Dammit, Daya. I just closed the door. Give me at least an hour before you attack me, hmm?”

“Bitch, I gave you all night and most of the morning. Let’s deal with this now.”

Cassie sighed and lifted her hands in defeat. “Have at me, D. Go ‘head! Yell at me. Lie on me. Tell me I ain’t shit while pinning your insecurities on me. Say whatever you want but I’m tired.”

“ _You’re_ tired,” Daya replied, sounding more like an accusation than a question.

Cassie rubbed her temple. “Yes. I’m tired of your bullshit. I’ve put up with it—no, I put up with _you_ for too long. So talk your shit but I’m gonna go shower, change, and get ready for my shift at the bar.” She turned away but Daya grabbed her arm and forced Cassie to face her. “Let. Me. Go.”

“Or what? Hmm? You’re gonna run away again?” The smirk on Daya’s face was knocked off when her head fell back in reaction to the punch that Cassie threw. The hit surprised even Cassie. She wasn’t sure if it was the good night sleep she had or the fact that she had finally grown weary of Daya (or the mixture of both) that made her do it. Although being raised with four older and stronger male cousins who taught her how to throw a good punch, she seldom resorted to altercations. She hated fighting and confrontations.

Daya put her hand to her lip and pulled back. Upon seeing the blood, she threw a punch at Cassie but Cassie bobbed the attempt. Daya would not be defeated and came with a right straight to Cassie’s side, causing her to lean over and groan in pain. Daya was the only girl out of five children. She, too, was no stranger to fighting but, unlike Cassie, had no reservations about starting (or finishing) a fight. Daya threw a left and Cassie fell to the floor from the blow. Cassie didn’t hesitate to use her disadvantage and kicked Daya in the stomach. Daya clutched her stomach in pain allowing Cassie to get a handful of her hair. Cassie punched her twice in the face before getting a scratch in her own. Cassie pulled Daya to the floor and straddled her. She still had a handful of Daya’s hair and clawed down her face. Daya screeched and grabbed Cassie’s curly hair with both hands causing her head to pull back. They wrestled; both trying to get the upper hand. They remained like that, screaming and swearing at each other, until Charlie came home.

“The fuck,” he exclaimed. He managed to pull them apart. “You guys are friends! Or did ya’ll forget that?” Neither girl answered him. They only stared each other down; the sounds of their ragged breaths filled the silence between them. Both girls knew, even if they would never admit it out loud, that they had killed the last of an already dying friendship.

Cassie massaged the back of her neck. She looked at Daya’s bed. It was still empty. Last night she ran out after telling Cassie and Charlie to go fuck themselves. Cassie wondered where she spent the night and if she was safe. In spite of the previous night’s events, she still worried about Daya. She dragged herself out of the bed and walked to the bathroom. She splashed some cold water on her face and winced at the sudden sting of pain across one of her cheeks. She looked at herself in the mirror. The long scratch on her right cheek was still raw. “Shit,” she said low while gently applying Vaseline to it. She pulled out a few bandages from the medicine cabinet to replace the ones that had somehow fallen off while she slept. She took a quick shower—the warm water helped to soothe the multitudinous pains that rippled throughout her body.

Cassie smelled something cooking when she exited the bathroom. She put on a pair of pajama shorts and a loose tee and made her way to the kitchen/dining area. “Hey,” she said weakly to Charlie.

He looked at her and tsked. He gently grabbed her by the chin and she winced at the action. “My poor baby. Look at what that bitch did to you.”

“I’m just as much at fault as she is,” Cassie said gently touching her cheek.

He turned back to what he was cooking. “I doubt that.”

“I hit her first.” Charlie turned around; his mouth agape. “Close your mouth.”

He did but a curious smile grew in it’s place. “Did you really hit her first?” Cassie nodded. “Damn, girl. I didn’t know you had it in you.”

“That’s because I usually try to avoid fights. But she just…” Cassie let out a loud frustrated grunt.

Charlie chuckled. “I hear you.”

“Yeah… What’s for breakfast?”

“Nothing. It’s after one.”

“Shit that late? God. How late did I stay up last night?”

“I don’t know but I went to take a piss sometime after four and I peeped in your room and you were still awake. Here.” He placed a bowl of steaming spaghetti in front of her. Cassie wrinkled her brow and gave a small smile. “When I was a kid, my mom would always make me my favorite meal whenever I was upset. I know it’s not your favorite but I thought it might make you feel better.”

The smile on Cassie face grew bigger. “Come here.” He leaned down and she wrapped her arms around him. “You too good to me, boy.”

Charlie lightly pinched her nose. “You’re family. You do right by family.”

————

Cassie groaned at the pain in her side while she dug through her closet for her work clothes. She couldn’t make her shift for the previous night because of the fight. She lied and told her supervisor that she was mugged and couldn’t come in. The mark on her face would aid in making her lie believable. Plus, she figured she could defer anyone that asked for deeper details by saying that she didn’t want to talk about the traumatic event. Her supervisor told her to take tonight off as well but Cassie refused. She needed a break from being inside that damn apartment; also, she had to pull her weight. The rent would be due soon. Charlie’s uncle owned the building and had given them a fair deal on the rent but it was still rather steep. They had learned the hard way that all the media attention and success of their film did not equate to instant riches. The hype was the reward.

She continued to dig through her closet. “Where the hell did I put that damn shirt?” She accidentally kicked a box. She instinctively looked down thinking it was one of her boxes of books. She intended to kick it out of her way but then see saw the contents. She gasped when she realized what it was. “Oh my god…Charlie!”

“What?” He called from the living area.

“C’mere!”

Charlie stuck his head in the door. “What?”

“Look. My old screenplays. Did you know I packed them? I don’t remember doing that. I haven’t seen these since…senior year of college.”

Charlie shrugged. “Maybe it’s a sign from God.”

Cassie scoffed. “Oh, so now you’re religious?”

“Okay, maybe not from God but still…Things have been pretty shitty for you for the last couple of weeks. Maybe it’s the Universe’s way of helping you get back on track.”

Cassie rolled her eyes. “The last three screenplays I wrote were all rejected and those were some of my best work. You actually expect me to believe the ‘Universe’ wants me to try to get these trope-y pieces of shit green-lit?”

“Or…it’s trying to tell you need to get back to writing.” He dug through the box. “Some of these were pretty decent. I mean yeah they’re a bit ‘trope-y,’ as you said, but at the core they were really good.” He pulled one out and quietly read the first page to himself. “Ooh. I like this one.” He handed it to her. “You should finish it.”

Cassie’s face wore a look of suspicion. “Why do I feel like you had a hand in all this?”

Charlie kissed her on the cheek and headed toward the bedroom door. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Asshole.”

Charlie chuckled and called back from the hall, “I love you, too!”

Cassie stared at the script in her hand. She shook her head before tossing it on the bed.

—————-

Sure as Cassie predicted, when she arrived at work she was swarmed with questions from both the concerned and the curious: “Oh my god, Cassie! What happened?” “Where were you?” “Are you okay?” “Did you get a look at him?” “Did you file a report? The sooner you do the better!” “That’s a pretty nasty cut. Does it hurt?”

Cassie patiently fielded all these questions with a simple, “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Of course, dear,” one coworker said. “We understand,” said another. Yet, she often caught them staring and whispering about her but she ignored the gossip. She just wanted to get through the rest of her shift without any added conflict though she doubted she would. It was Wednesday which meant it was karaoke night at the bar. Karaoke night always brought annoying college students.

“Cassie, check out table four,” one of her coworkers, Rachel, exclaimed.

Cassie rolled her eyes. “I’m not interested in whatever or whoever’s at table four.”

“Well, you should be since it’s your table.”

Cassie let out a small whine. “Please don’t tell me the college crowd is here already. It’s barely seven.”

Rachel laughed. “No. It’s actually some good news. Actors.”

“Are they steady working actors or actors like you and I?”

“Ouch. For your information, girl, I just landed a nationwide commercial. We start shooting this weekend.”

“I’m sorry.”

Rachel sucked her teeth. “Mm-hmm.” She rolled her eyes. “Anyway…It’s Marvel’s greatest heroes.”

“What?”

“Captain America and Thor!”

“Jesus…” Cassie closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. _What are they doing here_ , she wondered. _Of all the fucking places they could go they had to come here…_

“Well…,” she said grabbing Cassie’s order pad, “If you don’t want to go over there I will gladly take it for you.” She adjusted her breasts. “I’m looking for a new sugar daddy.”

“I can do it.” Cassie snatched back her order pad and stuffed it in her uniform pocket. “Besides, Chris Hemsworth is married. What the hell is wrong with you? Christ…” Rachel shrugged and twisted away. Cassie took a deep breath before putting on a faux smile and approaching the Chrises’ table. “Hello, my name is Cassie and I’ll be your server this evening. Can I interest ya’ll in some potato skins?”

“Cassie?” Chris Hemworth asked in his deep Australian accent. “I didn’t know you worked here.”

“Yeah. Well it pays the bills, you know?”

“No judgment here. You do what you got to do to get by.” Cassie smiled. Chris Evans cleared his throat signaling for Hemsworth to introduce him. “Um, Cassie, have you met…”

“Chris Evans. Yeah. Everyone knows Captain America.”

Chris smiled humbly. “It’s nice to meet you, Cassie.”

“Same here. So…about those potato skins, guys.”

“Cassie, table eight,” Rachel’s voice called out.

Cassie turned making her bandaged face visible to Chris Hemsworth. “Okay! Lemme finish with one table first.”

Before she could ask them for their order (again) Hemsworth asked, “Cassie, what happened to your face.”

Cassie instinctively covered her cheek with her hand. “Nothing. It’s just a little scratch.”

“No it isn’t. I’ve seen little scratches.”

Cassie tensed her jaw. “I was mugged, okay?”

“What? Are you all right?”

“I’m fine. No need to get upset or tell anyone.”

He furrowed his brow. “Who would I tell?”

“You know, a certain friend that would shit a brick if you tell him you saw me with a big ass scratch across my face. Chris, please promise me you won’t say anything.”

“Uh…I think he’s going to find out anyway, Cassie.”

“How?”

He opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by a familiar velvet British voice. “Cassie?”

Cassie squeezed her eyes shut and massaged the bridge of her nose. “Oh no…” It was official. God, the Universe or whoever hated her.


	4. Day Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassie once again spends the day at Tom's place and Tom is forced to confront his feelings towards her.

“Cassie?” Usually hearing her name pour out of his mouth in that beautiful accent of his made her weak. This time, however, she was enraged. She turned to face him slowly.

“Hi, Tom.” She gave a weak smile but what she really wanted was for a bolt of lightning to strike her down and put her out of her misery.

“I didn’t know you worked here.” He wrapped his arms around her. She held back a groan. His touch was gentle but her body was still healing from yesterday’s altercation and it felt as if he laid a thousand bricks on her.

She breathed through the pain and said, “Yeah. I had to get a second job. Take a seat and I’ll get ya’ll a couple of beers.” She hurriedly rushed to the bar. “Three beers. Take your time.”

“What kind,” the bartender asked her.

“Dude, I don’t care. Whatever kind. Just pour them slowly.” The bartender raised an eyebrow at her but did as she instructed. Cassie took a deep breath and tried to figure out a way to finesse the situation.

“You look stressed,” the bartender said while placing the beers on the platter in front of her.

“Well, I got every reason to be. You see that table over there,” she signaled to Tom’s table. The bartender nodded. “I really don’t want to go back over there but I also really don’t want to get fired.”

The bartender chuckled. “What’s the matter? You have a little celebrity crush or something?”

Cassie scoffed. “No. I just don’t want Tom to find out about this,” she pointed to the scratch on her face. “He’ll lose his shit if he sees it.”

“Why? Is he your boyfriend?”

Cassie twisted up her face at the realization of what the bartender said. He had a very good point. Tom and her were just friends so why _was_ she so afraid to tell him? “No. Huh…” She grabbed the platter. “Thanks.” The bartender brought his index and middle finger to his forehead and extended it out in a salute. Cassie strutted back to the table and placed the beers in front of the men. “Here ya’ll go. I would say this is on me but…I’m a waitress and you three are international movie stars so…This will be included in your order. That is, as soon as ya’ll get around to ordering.”

“Don’t worry I’ll take care of it,” Tom said smiling, “but _someone’s_ not getting a tip.”

“That’s cool, Tom. Don’t tip me but you know I know where you live.” The three men laughed and finally ordered. “Okay. I’ll just go put this in and your order should be done soon. Also, it’s Karaoke Wednesday. Free tequila shots for those that have the nerve to sing.”

“Sounds fun,” Tom exclaimed.

“Sounds horrible,” Chris Evans said taking a sip of his beer. “Ugh. But if I can get something better than this I would gladly do it.”

Cassie laughed. “Sorry. I’ll be back with your drinks soon.”

When she turned to exit Tom caught a glimpse of her cheek. Not sure of what he saw, he asked Hemsworth, “Are those bandages on her cheek?” Both Chrises exchanged looks. Tom saw the exchange and became worried. “Oh god. What happened?” Chris Evans looked away. Tom turned his attention to the other Chris.  

Hemsworth tried to ignore Tom’s gaze but eventually gave in. “She made us promise not to tell you.”

“Why would she do that?”

Chris Evans shrugged. “Maybe because she knew you’d act like this?” Tom shot him a look and Chris lifted his hands in protest. “I’m just saying…”

Tom turned his attention back to Cassie. Anger boiled in him. He wanted answers but decided to remain silent about Cassie’s scratch. He remembered what happened the last time the prodded. If she didn’t want him to know then he wouldn’t meddle. Yet, curiosity and concern crept up in him every time she visited his table. “This is bullshit,” he said finally. He rose.

“No, Tom…” Chris Hemsworth tried to grab his wrist but Tom was too quick for him.

“Am I missing something here,” Chris Evans asked.

Hemsworth took a sip of his beer. “Like what?”

“Like…Are they dating?”

Hemsworth smiled. “No.”

“Are you sure?”

Hemsworth chuckled. “No.”

———-

Cassie was talking to the bartender when Tom whirled her around and cupped her cheek. She flinched and inhaled sharply at the pain before smacking his hand away. “What the hell happened,” Tom asked his blue eyes staring her down. Cassie wasn’t sure if it was the intensity of that stare, the commanding tone of his voice, or the fact that she was still physically exhausted from the previous day that made her feel weak in the knees. She shrugged slightly in reply to Tom’s question. “You don’t know how you got a big ass cut across your face?”

Cassie looked back at the bartender who was leaning over the bar and smiling. He didn’t even try to look as if he wasn’t listening to their conversation. Cassie grabbed Tom’s hand and pulled him out the back exit and closed the door behind them. Tom opened his mouth to speak but she held up her hand to silence him. She bit her lip before calmly saying, “You can’t do this.”

“Do what?”

“‘Do what?’ Distract me while I’m working to yell at me!”

“I didn’t yell at you. You’re the one who’s yelling. All I wanted to know is what the hell happened to your face.”

“I’m trying something new. It’s the wounded look."

Tom’s face showed that he was not in the mood for jokes. “Really?”

“Godda—fine…I was mugged, Tom. Can I go back to work now?”

Tom folded his arms across his chest. “You know…You’re a terrible liar, Cassie.”

“I’m not lying!”

“Okay. You’re not lying. You say you were mugged? Fine. By who?”

“Why you wanna know? What are you gonna do? You’re gonna go…hunt them down and beat them up?”

Tom put his hands on his hips. “Maybe. I’d tell them, ‘Hey, you rapscallions! Leave my dear friend, Cassie, alone!”

Cassie softly laughed much to her chagrin. “Don’t make me laugh, Thomas. I’m really upset with you.” Also, laughing caused her great pain due to her bruised side.

“I should be upset with you!”

“What? Why?”

“Because for some reason you’re lying to me! And you’re telling _my_ friends to lie to me about you lying to me!”

“Stop yelling at me!”

“I will when you tell me the goddamn truth!”

She opened her mouth to rebut but found herself too worn out to fight anymore. She exhaled. “Fine,” she murmured defeated. “I got in a fight with Daya. Happy now?” She turned to go back into the bar but Tom grabbed her elbow.

“Whoa what? When?”

“Yesterday. After I came home.”

Tom ran his hand through his hair. “Shit! I knew…I _knew_ I should’ve made you stay with me.”

“No, Tom…That fight was gonna happen anyway. It was a long time comin’.”

“Maybe so but you’re staying with me tonight.”

“What? Tom, no. I can’t go running to you every time I have a problem.”

“Don’t think of it as running. Think of it as…sanctuary. I mean, do you really want to go back to that apartment tonight?”

Cassie lowered her eyes. She wanted nothing more than to have a respite from her current drama but she shook her head. “I can’t put you out like that.”

“It’s no trouble. Besides it would ease my mind knowing that you’re safe at my place than at over at yours fighting.” He smile and stretched out his arms. “Now bring it in for a hug.”

Cassie gave a light laugh. “No. No hugs.” She opened the door to the bar.

“Cassie. Cassie…don’t leave me hanging.” His arms were still outstretched. She smiled and went inside.

—————

By eleven, the bar was packed with college students. The girl currently on stage was singing karaoke to All Saints' “Never Ever.” She stared at Tom’s table while singing and dancing seductively. “Never ever have I ever felt so low. When you gonna take me out of this black hole?” She rubbed her hand down her thighs and winked at their table when she sang “black hole.”

“The hell is she doing,” Cassie asked. She placed their third order of hot wings on the table.

“I think she’s trying to our attention,” Tom replied still looking at the girl.

“Well, that’s one hell of a mating call,” Cassie said while picking up their empty beer bottles. The table laughed at her statement.

“I’m pretty sure no one’s paying attention to her singing,” Chris Evans said before swallowing the last of his beer.

“You want another one?”

He shook his head. “I think I reached my limit.”

“With the alcohol or the singing?”

“Both,” Tom answered for Chris. Cassie laughed before heading to another table. Tom watched her walk away. Throughout the night he allowed himself to admire the way her round ass looked in the skinny jeans she wore. He was so engrossed in watching Cassie that he hadn’t noticed Rachel standing next to him. She cleared her throat; drawing his attention. “Hello.”

“Hi. I hope this isn’t annoying but I’m such a huge fan of you guys. I was just wondering if I could get a pic or two?” She smiled. Her white teeth stood out against her brown skin.

Tom didn’t want to answer for the group and looked at them for a reply. They shrugged and nodded. “Okay. Sure. Where do you want it?”

“Here is fine!” She sat on Tom’s lap and wrapped one arm around his neck. “Okay. I’m gonna need both Chrises to come around behind us.” They did as they were told—the sooner they got the picture over with the better. She handed Tom the camera. “You’re arms are longer than mine.” Tom quickly took the picture and handed Rachel back her camera. “Oh damn. I blinked. One more.” Tom smiled wearily and took a second picture before once again handing Rachel back her camera. “Perfect!” She remained on his lap and hugged his neck. “Tom, you are the sweetest thing ever.” She leaned in and rested her large chest against him and in a seductive tone whispered, “I could just eat you up.”

Tom’s eyes grew wide at the comment. He looked at the Chrises but they were chuckling at the interaction. He wasn’t going to get any help from them. His salvation came when he heard Cassie say, “Rachel, get the hell off him.”

“I was just asking for a picture.”

“Oh, is that what you’re doing? Because to me it looks like you’re sitting on a guest’s lap and nearly smothering him with your tits. I’m not entirely sure if that’s sexual harassment or not but I’m _positive_ it’s against company policy. And you already have two strikes against you, hon. So the way I see it, your options are to get the hell up or get the hell up.” Rachel sucked her teeth and walked away.

“Thank you,” Tom said with a relieved smile on his face.

Cassie winked in reply and walked away. All three men watched her leave. “Man, she is something, isn’t she,” Chris Evans asked.

“Yeah,” Tom answered. “She is.”

———————

Cassie stood outside the bar’s front exit. She rubbed her neck. “Bye, Cassie,” a co-worker said.

Cassie waved back. “Bye, Tasha. See you tomorrow.” She looked at her watch. It was five minutes to two in the morning. She groaned at the late hour.

“You must be wiped out, huh?” Tom said from behind her.

“You got no idea.” She could almost feel his soft pillows on her cheek.

“Come on.” He led her to his car and helped her in. “We’re going to pick up some of your things. Is that all right?” Cassie closed her eyes, laid her head back and nodded gently. Tom plugged in his iPod. Immediately the sounds of Stevie Wonder’s “As” filled the car.

Cassie opened her eyes at the sound of Stevie’s voice crooning out the chorus. She smiled at Tom but said nothing. Tom began to sing along with Stevie off-key. “Until the rainbow burns the stars out in the sky. Always! Until the ocean covers every mountain high. Always!” He was a man of many talents, unfortunately for Cassie, singing wasn’t one of them. Cassie grimaced. Tom glanced over at her and, upon seeing her expression, began to sing the song louder. “Until the something-something-something…Always!” Cassie cackled and immediately regretted it. She placed her hand on her side. Tom noticed her actions and, concerned, asked, “You okay?”

“Yeah. It’s just…Your singing is so horrible, my dude. I think my soul is actually dying.”

Tom laughed. “I should crash this car just for that.”

“If it means I don’t have to hear that dying whale noise that you’re making then so be it.” Tom laughed again. He quietly hummed along with the classic. Cassie weirdly found herself missing the sound of his voice. She sighed and quietly sang, “Until the day is night and night becomes the day…”

Tom gleefully croaked out, “Always!” Cassie ignored the pain in her side and chuckled.

————-

Cassie was more than grateful to Tom for letting her spend another night at his place. She was also grateful that he had called ahead to Charlie and asked that he prepare her a bag for a few nights. She didn’t have to leave the car until they arrived at Tom’s apartment. Tom let her sleep in his bed again and she fell into a deep sleep the moment her head his pillow. She was still asleep when he came back from his morning run and when he left for his one o’clock meeting. Around four thirty, out of fear that the worst might had happened during the night, he leaned over her and gently pinched her nose. She tossed her head left and right and swatted his hand away. He let out a sigh of relief. At six, both Chrises and a couple of Tom’s friends came over for a game of poker. Tom was in the middle of losing the game when Cassie groggily walked passed them and into the kitchen.

The men watched stunned as she opened the fridge and poured herself a glass of juice. She wore a large shirt that crept up and exposed more of her toned thigh as she gulped back the drink. She had on shorts underneath but they were barely visible. She poured herself another glass and swallowed it down. She returned the carton of juice and placed her glass in the sink. She wiped her mouth and nodded at Tom and his company before walking to the bathroom.

“Um…Who the hell was that,” his friend, Dave, asked.

“That’s, uh, that’s Cassie," Tom replied. "She’s a friend.”

The other men laughed. “Yeah, I bet,” Dave said. “And not even thirty minutes ago you told us you were single! When all this time you were really hiding a piece of ass like that!”

“Watch your mouth, Dave. She’s a friend. She’s just going through a rough patch right now. I offered to let her stay here. Nothing happened.”

“Yet,” his other friend Michael added.

“What?”

“Nothing’s happened yet. Nothing against you, bro, but if something that fine just waltzed through my living room…I would kick all you motherfuckers out without hesitation.”

“You’d really risk a good friendship for one night?”

“Man, it’s not like I’d just intentionally fuck up the friendship to hit but… Listen, there is no way in hell a woman that fine ain’t gonna get in your head.” He took a sip of beer. “Today you say she’s just a friend but one day you’ll be wondering what’s under that big ass shirt. Shit, I only saw her for two minutes and _I’m_ wondering.”

“Well, that’s because you’re a perv, Mike.” The rest of the men laughed but Michael threw him the finger. “Look, Cassie and I are just friends. I’m not doing anything extra for her that I wouldn’t do for any of you guys.” The men let out sounds of uncertainty. Tom looked at Chris Hemsworth. “Chris, please tell these guys that Cassie and I are just good friends.”

“I would love to,” Chris started.

“Thank you!”

“But I can’t.” Tom gave a face that made him look like a wounded puppy. Hemsworth put his hands up in protest. “Look. If we’re talking about last night alone…”

“Why? What happened last night?”

“Tom, are you serious,” Chris Evans chimed in. “The way you guys were acting…”

“I was just being a concerned friend!”

“Mh-hmm,” Michael said.

Tom shot him a look. “Mike, you weren’t even fucking there.”

“Maybe not but I know you, Tom.”

“The hell are you on about now?”

“He’s ‘on about’ your pattern,” Dave answered for Mike.

“What pattern?”

“The ‘I can’t keep my hands off my female friends” pattern.”

“Bullshit. Name one friend.”

“Amanda, Kelly, Su-Chin, Sheila,” Michael said while counting the names on his fingers.

“Kat, Jane…” Chris Hemsworth added before sipping his beer.

“I said one, thank you!” Tom scoffed and rolled his eyes.

The bathroom door opened and Cassie walked out in a bathrobe. She entered Tom’s bedroom and closed the door behind her. “Listen, man,” Michael said leaning in. “I can believe in a lot of things. Ghosts, UFOs, Big-fucking-foot. But you telling me that you can share a space with a woman like _that_ and have not even _one_ dirty thought…Well, then you deserve all the awards, bro.”

Tom tensed his jaw. He had enough of being insulted in his own home. “You know what? I think it’s time you guys left.” His friends protested. “I don’t want to hear it.” He got up and opened the door to the apartment.

Michael laughed. “Fine, Tom. But we all know you’re only doing this because you _know_ we’re right.”

“Say what you want, Mike. Just make sure you say it while you’re walking.”

Michael rose and continued laughing. “Okay…okay… You still owe me $1,000 from last month’s game. I’ll just add this month’s tab to that one.” Tom rolled his eyes as Michael exited.

Dave followed behind him. “Just do me one favor, Tom. When you fuck her tell me if she has any tattoos and where they are. I need it for…research.”

Tom pushed him out the door. “You’re disgusting.” Chris Evans followed Dave out. He stopped in the door frame and opened his mouth to speak but Tom put up his hand to cut him off. “Don’t you fucking dare.” Chris threw his head back laughing; his hand briefly cupping under his left breast. He slapped Tom on his shoulder before leaving. Tom looked at Chris Hemsworth. “Please don’t say anything.”

“I wasn’t, Tom. I swear. Except…” Tom sighed and rolled his eyes. Chris wasn’t deterred and continued on, “Mike and Dave might not have said what they said the right way but they weren’t exactly wrong either. And deep down you know that. Do yourself a favor. If you really want to save the friendship like you say you do then send Cassie home. Before that poor girl becomes another casualty of your pattern.”

Casualty? Chris made it sound like they were in a war. “Even if I did have a pattern, which I’m not admitting I do, patterns can be changed.”

Chris placed his arm on Tom’s shoulder and said, “Okay, pal. Okay,” before exiting. Tom closed the door behind him.

Cassie came out of his bedroom wearing a tank top and a pair of loose fit pants. “Oh, your company’s gone? It wasn’t because of me, was it? I didn’t mean to be rude.”

“No,” Tom answered. “It wasn’t because of you. They had to leave.”

Cassie wrinkled her brow. “ _All_ of them?”

“Yep. You hungry? I was thinking of ordering a pizza. The guys ate up all the snacks sorry.”

Cassie smiled and playfully tugged his chin (a habit of hers that he loved). “It’s okay. I’m always in the mood for pizza.” She walked back to his bedroom. “Just call me when it’s here, okay?”

“All right.” He watched her leave. The loose style of her pants barely hid the curves of ass. He swallowed hard as he watched her ample cheeks rise and fall before the door closed on the image. _Patterns_ _can be changed,_ he thought, _but it’ll take a hell of a lot of effort._


	5. Day Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tom is caught in a compromising position while Daya lets out her frustrations in an unhealthy way.

Charlie blew cigarette smoke out his bedroom window. Usually he would have to go outside if he wanted to smoke since Cassie and Daya forbade it but now he saw fit to allow himself the indulgence being that both girls hadn’t been home in two days. Also, the habit acted as a comfort for him. His nerves had been shot after all the drama he was inadvertently placed in the middle of. He took another drag of his cigarette before putting it out. He allowed the environment to temporarily distract his thoughts. He watched a couple walk hand in hand down the sidewalk. They stopped momentarily to kiss; the man feeling up his (assumed) girlfriend’s thighs before grabbing a handful of her ass. They rubbed noses and kissed again before continuing on. Charlie groaned at the display and pulled out a fresh cigarette and lit it. He heard the apartment door slam shut. He quickly put out the cigarette and ran to the living area.

“Hello?” A feeling of relief came over him when he saw who it was. “Daya?” Daya glared at him but didn’t respond. She removed her coat and shoes and walked towards her bedroom. Charlie followed her. “Where have you been?” Although he and Daya had never been particularly close he was still concerned for her. At least he knew where Cassie was. Daya had stormed out after the fight and hadn’t at least called.

 “As if you give a shit,” she barked while digging through the closet for something to wear.

Charlie tensed his jaw. “Where have you been,” he repeated.

“Out.”

“Fine. Don’t tell me. I don’t know why I gave a shit in the first place.” He walked back into his room and closed the door behind him. He once again pulled out his pack of cigarettes but it was empty. He swore before pulling out the drawer on his nightstand. He pulled out a fresh pack and smacked the bottom. It was going to be a long day.

—————

Tom took a sip of his bottled water and wiped his brow. He had just gotten home from another great run. He kicked off his shoes and removed his shirt before entering the bathroom. A nice, warm shower would help soothe his aching muscles. After he finished showering he wrapped a towel around his waist and opened the door to his bedroom. He let out a quiet gasp. Cassie was bent over in the downward dog position. He had forgotten she was staying with him. He took a moment to admire her rounded ass. He was getting hard just thinking about the things he would do to her. Cassie exhaled and released back down into the tabletop position. Tom whispered, “Damn” causing her to turn her attention to him. _Fuck,_ he thought, _and you’re standing here naked looking like a goddamn perv._ He stumbled out an apology. “I-I-I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to intrude.”

Cassie made a face that said she didn’t believe him. She rose and sauntered toward him. “Now, Thomas, we both know that’s a lie, you bad boy.” He swallowed hard at the way she said his name. She ran her hands up his arms. “You’re so lean. I like.” She grabbed the back of his neck.

“Cassie, I…”

“Shhh…” She pulled him down for a kiss. He moaned into her mouth. Her lips were so soft. He wrapped his free hand around her waist pulling her in for a deeper kiss. She stuck her tongue in his mouth and lightly flicked his. He moaned again before pulling away.

“Are you sure you want to do this?”

She took a few steps back and slowly removed her shirt and pants. She stood fully naked before him. He lowered his eyes and admired her shape. God she was beautiful. She sat on the floor and spread her legs. She sucked on her fingers before putting them in her pussy. She slowly rubbed her clit and leaned her head back in pleasure. She lowered her fingers and began pumping in and out of herself slowly. Her moans grew louder and filled the room. She pulled her fingers out and sucked on them. She looked at him and said in a low, sultry voice, “Do you want to play, Thomas?” before reinserting her fingers into her pussy.

Tom would be a fool if he didn’t take the opportunity. He threw his towel carelessly to the floor and growled before climbing on top of her. He put her fingers into his mouth and sucked her taste off them. “Mmmm….You taste so fucking good.” Cassie giggled and pulled him down for a kiss. She bit his bottom lip causing his cock to twitch at the sensation. He pinned her hands over her head. “Is this what you want, hmm? You want this cock?” She laughed then wrapped her legs around him. He licked along her jaw line then down her neck before moving to her breasts. He cupped one breast in his hand and lightly bit it. She moaned.

“Don’t tease me, Thomas. You want this. Fuck me. Fuck me sideways.”

He couldn’t resist. He eased into her. “Fuck,” he exclaimed. She was so wet. So warm. So tight. He stroked into her slowly at first.

“Fuck…me…now,” she panted into his ear. He obliged her. He thrust into her faster. Cassie wrapped her arms under his shoulders. “Yes! Like that! Yes!”

He grabbed her leg. “Let’s see how flexible you are, hmm?” He lifted her leg over his should and drove deeper into her. She let out a string of swears before demanding that he fuck her harder. He grabbed her other leg and put it on his shoulder as well. He loved how she looked under him. Those plump lips parted slightly, his name cooing from them. One hand was on her right breast the other clawed at the floor.

“Tom-Thomas! I’m going to…”

He began to rub her clit furiously. “Yes, come for me, darling. Make a mess.” Cassie’s eyes rolled back in her head. She was close; he could see it. He wanted to feel her walls contract around his cock. He wanted to see her become undone. He wouldn’t even think about coming until he saw that glorious look of ecstasy fill her face.

Cassie panted, “I’m…I’m…I’m…”

The phone buzzed. Tom’s eyes slowly open at the sound. He groggily reached over to the phone sitting on the table. He would kill whoever interrupted his dream. “Hello,” he answered his voice tense.

“Hey, Tom,” Chris Hemsworth said. “Why do you sound like you just woke up? It’s after eleven. You’re usually up and annoying by this hour.”

Tom yawned. “I decided to take a nap. I didn’t get much sleep last night.”

“Why? Tom, please tell me you and Cassie didn’t…”

“No! Give me some credit, damn!”

Chris chuckled. “Look, Tom. It’s not that I don’t trust you…it’s just that I don’t trust you.” He laughed again.

Tom wasn’t amused. “Is there a reason you called me or do you just like to be a dick?”

“Attitude! Elsa wants to know if you’re still coming over for dinner tonight.”

“Shit, is it Friday already? Where did the week go?” Tom rubbed his hand down his face. He completely forgot all about his monthly dinners with Chris and his family. Whenever he was in town he promised to spend at least one night with them. Usually he looked forward to them—it was the one thing Tom could count on when he found himself lonely—but, after last night, he was not in the mood to talk to Chris or anyone. He thought about canceling but decided against it. It might actually do him some good to get out of the house and, more importantly, away from Cassie. “Uh…Yeah. I might be a little late. I have a, a thing to go to but I’m coming.”

“Good, man! Look, make sure you do what I told you to do. Today.”

“What did you tell me to do?”

“You forgot already? Cassie! You have to send her back home. Break the cycle, bro.”

“Now it’s a cycle? Last night it was a pattern.”

“Don’t be a smart ass. Don’t let her stay another hour let alone another day. I know you, Tom, and you know you, too. Send. Her. Home. See you tonight.”

“Yeah…” As much as he hated to admit it, Tom knew Chris was right. But he couldn’t just kick Cassie out. Not when he opened his home up as an asylum. How would that look? Besides, she would only be staying through the weekend. He could handle two more days. Tom threw his phone back on the table and reclined back on the couch; his long legs hanging over the arm. He closed his eyes and tried not to dream about Cassie but her face appeared nonetheless.

She stood naked before him. She licked her lips and got on her knees and, without a word, took his cock in her hand. She licked the tip. “Hmm…You taste so good, Thomas.” She licked down one side of his cock and then back up the other. She squeezed him and slowly rubbed her hand from base to tip. She looked up at him while rolling her tongue over the tip of his cock again.

“Take it all,” he commanded. He watched as she bobbed up and down on his cock. He leaned his head back and let out a moan.

“Tom,” Cassie called.

“Cassie…,” Tom moaned not wondering how she could say his name with his dick down her throat.

“Tom!”

“Cassie…”

She slapped his foot hard enough to draw him out of his dream. “Wake up!” Tom’s eyes shot open. Cassie stood over him with one raised eyebrow and a curious smirk on her face. He felt his heart begin to beat double time. “What the hell were you dreaming about?” He opened his mouth but found no words. His embarrassment trumped his normally loquacious nature. “Tom? You all right?”

——————-

Daya sat in front of her vanity applying make-up over the scratches Cassie gave her. She turned her face left then right. She did a great job covering the marks but her lip was still swollen. Her eyes began to water but fought back the tears. Even though Cassie wasn’t there to see her, Daya still wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of making her cry. Her phone buzzed. It was a text from her cousin Tariq. She smiled and opened it.

It read: “U OK? U NEED ME 2 COME OVR?”

She smiled and texted back: “Nah cuz. Im cool. She not here. NEWAY I can handle it. Thx.” She was more than grateful that Tariq had let her stay with him and his pregnant girlfriend the last few days. It was not only nice to get away from the apartment but also to have someone to talk to that would be on her side. Charlie, regardless of how he protested, would never offer her the sympathy she wanted. It was fine. After all, he was always Cassie’s friend; not hers.

She rose to get dressed for her shift at the restaurant she worked at. Despite landing a recurring role in a pilot for a new Fox drama, she still had to grind to make ends meet. She hated waitressing and couldn’t wait to quit her job but there was no guarantee that the pilot would even get picked up; and, until she had a contract for a minimum 13-episode season in her hand, she wasn’t going to make any hasty decisions. Despite the whole drama with Cassie, things were going really well for her.

After getting dressed, she looked in the mirror to pull her long wavy hair in a bun. In the corner of her reflection she spotted the plethora of Cassie’s awards on her computer desk. Daya sucked her teeth and rolled her eyes. Those should be her awards. _Inopportune Affairs_ wouldn’t have been half as good without her. Why couldn’t those stupid critics see that? _Jokes on them_ , she thought while adding the last pin in her hair. _All those awards ain’t mean shit. ‘She’s remarkable,’ huh? But the bitch can’t land no roles._ She laughed out loud. _Besides I don’t need no damn awards. I got talent._

She reached for her purse and caught a glimpse of Cassie’s awards out of the side of her eye. “But still…,” she said walking toward Cassie’s desk. She softly caressed each award. “It would be nice…” The longer Daya stared at the awards anger started to boil in her.  She grabbed one and balanced the weight of it in her hand. She shifted the weight of the award to her right hand and threw it against the wall. It didn’t break but it did leave a large crack in the wall. Daya grabbed another one and threw it. She continued until she ran out of awards and the crack had turned into a whole. She seethed with rage now. She ran to the closet and pulled down all of Cassie’s clothes. She took the opportunity to rip any piece of clothing that she could but it didn’t appease her anger. She pulled out the boxes that sat on the floor. She ripped pages out of the books that lay within them and threw the leftovers across the room. She saw the box that had Cassie’s old screenplays in them. A wicked smile grew across her face. It wouldn't be enough to just rip them. These had to be destroyed.

She grabbed the screenplays, walked to the kitchen and threw them in the sink. She opened the fridge and took out the bottle of cheap vodka that has been sitting in there for over a month. She poured the liquor over them. “Dammit,” she mumbled to herself. She would need matches or a lighter. She remembered smelling smoke when she came home earlier. She marched into Charlie’s room (he had left earlier for a lunch meeting). “Where does that asshole keep his lighters? Where are you?” She pulled out his dresser drawers and searched through them and found nothing. She pulled out the drawers on his nightstand next and smiled when she found the lighter sitting in it as if it were waiting for her. She stormed to back to the kitchen.

Just then, Charlie opened the door. He was flipping through the mail in his hand. “You have some mail, Daya.” She said nothing as she passed him. “Is that my lighter? What are you doing?” He followed her into the kitchen and saw that she was struggling to start a light. “Daya? Answer me! What the hell are you doing?” She lifted up one of Cassie’s scripts; it dripping with alcohol. Charlie’s eyes grew wide. “Don’t!”

“You wanna stop me, Charles? They’re already ruined anyway. This way they’ll _stay_ ruined.”

“Daya! Put them down or so help me God…”

“You think I’m afraid of you,” she scoffed and tried the lighter again; still nothing. “We both know I can kick your ass all across this apartment if I wanted to.”

“My father is an ultra-conservative ex-boxer and I’m his openly gay son. You really want to try it with me? Put. The scripts. Down.”  He approached her slowly. “I’m asking you nicely. I know you’re upset but don’t do anything you’ll regret. You can’t undo this, Daya. Just stop and think. Please…”

She tried the lighter one last time. This time it ignited. She smiled to Charlie. “Fuck both of ya’ll.” She brought it to the edge of the screenplay in her hand and dropped the slowly burning script into the sink.


	6. Day Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassie and Tom's relationship takes a bad turn. Meanwhile, Cassie must also deal with the damaging repercussions of Daya's actions.

“Cassie,” Tom exclaimed finally after his embarrassment subsided. (If she had come in a few moments later, she would have caught him with his hands down his pants). “W-what are you doing?”

“I’m standing here about to ask you what you want for lunch. I thought I’d cook you something to show my appreciation but now I’m wondering what _you’re_ doing.”

He cleared his throat. “What do you mean?”

“Okay, you’re gonna really act like I didn’t just hear you call out my name?”

“Only in response to you calling mine!”

She gave him a look that told him she didn’t believe him. “Okay.” Cassie was thrilled that he was dreaming about her but she couldn’t really take it seriously. Sometimes people have dirty dreams and they usually meant nothing. “Whatever you say, _Tom_.” She couldn’t resist the opportunity to mock the way he said her name.

Hearing her moan his name like that almost made him want to grab her then and there and fuck the smugness out of her but his newly emerging embarrassment trumped his arousal. “Cassie, don’t play like that.”

“Why does it get you hot,” she asked laughing.

“Dammit, Cassie,” he yelled.

“Wow. I was just joking, Tom.”

“Well, I don’t find it funny.” He rose from the couch and marched towards his bedroom.

“Wait? Where are you going? Are you really upset with me?”

He stopped and turned to her. His thin lips were pressed together so firmly that it they appeared nearly non-existent. “Yes!”

“I don’t know why? I mean everyone’s had a sex dream before.” Tom rolled his eyes and continued walking to his bedroom. Cassie followed him. “I’m sorry. I’m just trying to let you know there’s nothing to be embarrassed about. I mean when I first met Charlie I had a sex dream about him—I’m talking straight filth—and I already knew he was gay! It was weird but it didn’t mean anything. We still laugh about it to this day.”

“Goddammit, Cassie,” his voice rose louder than she had ever heard it before. “How many times do I have to say that I don’t want to talk about this anymore? Fuck! You know, maybe Chris was right. Maybe you shouldn’t be here at all.”

“W-what? Where is _this _coming from?”__

“I’ve been thinking about it and…I think it would do you a greater good to stay at your own place.”

Cassie laughed slightly. “You’ve been thinking about it? Really? When was this, Tom? I’ve been here for a day but you’ve done all this ‘thinking,’ huh?” Tom rubbed his bottom lip. “You’re so full of shit, Thomas. But fine! You want me to leave? I’ll fucking leave! I’m not gonna stay where I’m not wanted.”

She pushed past him and grabbed her duffel bag out of the floor of his closet. She had her work uniform hanging in his closet for fear that it would wrinkle if it stayed folded in her bag. Cassie grabbed the uniform off the rack and irately threw it into her bag. Tom stood at the doorway, speechless, watching her. She saw him out of the corner of her eye and mumbled something. It wasn’t until she was stomping around his bedroom, angrily mumbling to herself that he realized that he might have overreacted. “Cassie, please wait. Just…just let me explain,” Tom pleaded.

 “Explain? No, I think you’ve said enough!” She pushed pass him but he grabbed her elbow to halt her. “Let. Me. Go.”

“No. Not until you listen to me.”

“I heard you plenty well before, Thomas.” She tried to maneuver out of his grasp but it only made him hold her tighter. “I swear to God, boy…If I have to tell your narrow ass again to release me…,” she said through her teeth.

“Cassie, please, just listen. I…” A hard slap to the face cut him off. Tom’s eyes widened at the surprise hit; however, he took a deep breath before responding. “Okay. I might have deserved that.” Cassie hit him again harder forcing his head to jerk to the right. He remained calm though agitated. “All right. I might have deserved that one as well.” Cassie threw her hand back for a third strike but Tom caught it mid-air. “That’s enough of that! Now, goddammit, Cassie! You’re going to listen to me!”

She tried to wrestle out of his grip. “Let me go, you goddamn son of a bitch!”

“If I let you go you have to promise not to leave before I explain myself. Or hit me again.”

Cassie took a deep breath. She looked away briefly before turning her gaze back at Tom and tensely said, “Okay. Now let me go. Please.” The moment Tom released her, she slapped him again.

“Fuck,” Tom yelled gently rubbing his cheek. “You promised, Cassie!”

“Yeah, just like you promised to let me stay here. I guess we’re both liars.” Cassie grabbed her bag and walked to the door.

“Cassie, please don’t leave,” Tom begged in a low voice.

“Why shouldn’t I, Tom? You don’t want me here so give me one good reason to stay.”

“I never said I didn’t want you here!”

Cassie threw her bag on the ground and folded her arms across her chest. “Then why the hell did you tell me to leave? Make up your goddamn mind!” Tom opened his mouth to speak but said nothing. Cassie shook her head. “You know what truly amazes me about you, Tom? If someone asks you to tell them about your favorite movie you could talk for hours if not days. But if someone asks you to speak your feelings…suddenly you’re mute.”

Tom tensed his jaw. “What do you want me to say, Cassie?”

“The goddamn truth, Tom. You invited me to stay because you said you’d rather me be ‘safe’ at your place than at mine fighting. You remember telling me that?”

“Yes,” he said through gritted teeth, “I remember.”

“And then not even a day later you kick me out.”

“I’m sorry. I…”

“You’re sorry?” She laughed derisively. “Well, at least that’s something we both can agree on.”

“Don’t be mean.”

“‘Mean’? You have the _gall_ to stand there and talk shit to me about hurt feelings?” She looked to the ceiling and mumbled, “Fucking fantastic.” She marched up to Tom and poked his chest. “You don’t have the _right_ to be hurt!” Her eyes began to water and she bit her lip to try to hold back her tears but failed. She covered her face and turned from him. A twinge of guilt formed in his stomach. He placed his hand on her shoulder and she knocked it off. “Don’t you fucking touch me!” She turned back to face him. “I thought you were different. But that was just all a ruse, wasn’t it?”

“No! Cassie I swear…”

“Oh, so now you swear…Just give me a fucking reason. What changed in the last twenty-four hours?”

“I told you. I just can’t be around you right now. It’s not good for us.”

“‘For us’,” Cassie mocked.

“I mean for our friendship.”

“No. You mean it’s not good for you.” He looked away. “Yeah… You don’t really want me to go—we both know that—but for some reason I can’t stay here…and you won’t say why.”

“I…I don’t want to ruin what we have.”

Cassie rolled her eyes. She grabbed her bag and opened the door. “Newsflash, Tom! You already did.” Tom shut the door closed with one hand. “Move.”

“No. I can’t let you go.”

“You must really think I won’t hit you again.”

Tom flinched slightly at the thought. He knew she was serious and he also knew that whatever pain she chose to inflict upon him would be nothing less than he deserved. He sighed. “What do you want me to say, Cassie?”

“I don’t want you to say a goddamn thing. I just want you to take your hand off the door so I can go home. At least I know what to expect there.” Tom opened his mouth to speak but thought better of it. Whatever he said would just result in them getting in another fight; yet, he didn’t want her to leave. Not now. Not like this.

“I…,” he started to say but was cut off by the sound of her phone ringing.

Cassie groaned and pulled her cell out of her pocket. “Yes? What?…Charlie slow down. What happened now?…Our apartment what!…Yeah, I’m on my way.” She drew her hand to her mouth and choked back tears.

“Cassie? What’s wrong?”

“My apartment burned down,” she answered in broken sobs.

——————

They didn’t speak on the way to Cassie’s apartment building. Tom desperately wanted to reach over and caress her but he knew that even the sofest touch from him would set her off. He wanted to tell her that everything would be fine but he didn’t have it in him to lie to her on top of everything else. Instead he let the sound of Stevie Wonder’s _Songs in the Key of Life_ fill the silence.

When they arrived at her building, Cassie gasped at the sight of the fire trucks parked out front and the black smoke streaming out of the windows. The car was barely to a full stop when she opened the door and exited. She tried to run into the building but was held back by a firefighter. “I’m sorry but you can’t go in there yet, miss.”

“My friends…where are they?”

“Well, they’re not inside, miss. We evacuated everyone.”

“Cas!” Cassie turned to see Charlie waving her down. He was being attended to by an EMT. He was breathing into an oxygen mask.

“Oh my god, Charlie!” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Is he okay,” she asked the EMT.

“He’s fine. A little shook up perhaps but otherwise he’s doing pretty well…considering…”

“Considering what?”

“Considering the fact that he tried to put out the fire himself. Damn fool almost got himself killed.” She removed the mask from Charlie’s face. “He’s lucky the landlord pulled him out or we would be on our way to the burn unit or worse.”

“Oh God…” Cassie hugged Charlie again. “I’m so glad you’re okay. I don’t know what I’d do without you. Don’t you _ever_ die on me.”

“I can’t promise that,” Charlie whispered out hoarsely. “Cas, I can barely breathe.”

She let go of his neck. “Sorry!” She wiped some of the soot off his face. “I guess it’s a good thing that Daya wasn’t here, huh? I don’t think I would’ve made it if I had to worry about both of ya’ll.” Charlie made a face and looked away. Cassie saw it. “What was that face?”

Charlie didn’t have the heart (or energy) to tell her the truth about how the fire started. “Nothing. I’m just really tired.”

“I bet.” She tapped a nearby firefighter on the shoulder. “Is it safe to go in yet?”

He shook his head. “It won’t be safe for hours. I suggest you folks find you a place to stay for the night.”

“What,” Cassie asked in disbelief. She looked at Charlie. “The hell are we gonna stay?”

“I don’t know but I think our salvation just came up.” He nodded his head and Cassie turned in the direction he was signaling. She sighed heavily when she saw Tom walking towards them.

“What happened? Is everyone all right?”

“Yeah,” Charlie said.

“You sure? You look like shit, man. No offense.”

“None taken.”

“How did it start, do you know?”

Charlie tensed his jaw and swallowed hard. “Um…no. Nobody knows really.”

Cassie raised an eyebrow. “But the EMT said you tried to put it out. Where were you?”

“I mean…It started in our apartment but I don’t know _how_ it started.” He turned to Tom. “Yeah, we’re pretty much S.O.L. for the rest of the day.”

“S.O.L.?”

“It means ‘shit out of luck’,” Cassie answered. “And we’re even deeper S.O.L., Charlie, because Tom’s not gonna let us stay with him.”

Tom eyes grew wide in shock. “I didn’t say that. Don’t put words in my mouth, Cassie.”

“Oh! So you’re just gonna pretend like you didn’t just smooth kick my ass out of your place not thirty minutes ago?”

Tom clenched his fists. “Goddammit, Cassie. I tried to explain.”

“‘Explain’? Did you? Really? ‘Cause—you know what? I’m not doing this. Not here. Not right now. Not when I literally don’t have a fucking roof over my head!” She turned to Charlie. “I think we have enough money saved up to stay at a hotel tonight. Can you walk?” Charlie nodded. “Good. Shit are the car keys in the apartment?”

“No,” Charlie groaned while reaching into his pocket. “I have them here. They were still in there from when I went out this morning.”

“Good.” Cassie turned to Tom and coldly said, “Thank you for your hospitality, Thomas. I really mean that…but you can go back to your life now.”

“Cassie…Let’s not end it. Not like this. Please.”

Cassie rolled her eyes. “I don’t really think you’re in a position to make that request, do you?”

Tom watched as she slowly pulled Charlie away. “Shit,” he mumbled to himself. “Tom…you stupid, stupid fucker….”

———————-

“Have you reached Daya yet,” Cassie asked Charlie. Charlie winced at the sound of Daya’s name. He wanted to confess to Cassie the true cause behind the fire but he didn’t have the heart. He lied and told her that he couldn’t reach Daya at all but the truth was he didn’t even try. The very thought of dialing her number made him angry.

“No. But if she wants to talk to either of us she knows our numbers,” Charlie finally said dryly.

Cassie noticed his tone. “Charlie, I know you’re probably still upset with her about our fight. But I think with all that’s happen recently…let’s just put that behind us for now.”

“Cassie,” Charlie took a deep breath. He really didn’t want to tell her but the words wouldn’t stay down. “Daya burned down the apartment.”

Cassie’s eyes grew wide in surprise. “Wow…Charlie…I know you never liked the girl but really…”

“I saw her do it with my own eyes.”

“W-w-well maybe you were confused by what you saw. I mean, Daya is far from perfect but…no. She wouldn’t do that.”

“Cassie, not two days ago I had to stop you guys from killing each other. Last night you could barely sleep without groaning in pain. And now you’re gonna stand there and tell me to my face that I’m wrong about her.”

Cassie bit her lip. “There is a difference between fighting and committing arson, Charlie. What you’re saying is big. Like…prison big. Besides, why would she want to burn our house down?”

Charlie looked away. “When are we going to the apartment today?”

“Um…your uncle said we’d probably be able to get in around noon. Twelve thirty at the latest.”

Charlie sighed. “Okay. When we get there…I have something to show you.”

Cassie wrinkled her brow in confusion. Charlie had always had a serious nature about him but he had never been as somber as he was now. A feeling of immense worry grew in the pit of her stomach. She swallowed and breathed out an uneasy, “Okay…”

——————-

The building still smelled of smoke. Cassie felt as if she was walking through one of those haunted houses that were staples in generic horror movies. The building was never truly brimming with life but now, knowing that many of the apartments were empty and Charlie’s solemn, nearly ominous, behavior, made a chill run up her spine. The stairs creaked underneath their feet. Charlie let out a cough. Although he was of slim build, he was extremely out of shape. He ate mostly pasta loaded with cheese and loved to smoke. Yesterday’s ordeal didn’t help him any, either. He stopped to cough again.

“You all right,” Cassie asked patting him gently on the back. He coughed once more before nodding. “Good. One more floor.”

When they finally made it to their apartment Charlie stood in front of the door. “Now, Cassie,” he said breathing heavy, “I’m not sure how to prepare you for what’s behind this door.”

“Oh God…” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Okay. I’m ready. I can handle whatever’s behind door number one…I think.” She covered her mouth when Charlie opened the door to the charred apartment. The floor of the living area was partially burnt as were the table and chairs of the small dining area. The kitchen had the most damage. The ceiling over it was completely black. The appliances were covered in soot but otherwise undamaged. The cabinets were completely destroyed. “Oh, Daya…What did you do?” She turned to Charlie. “Why would she do this? This isn’t like her at all. I don’t understand. What did she do pour gas over everything and light a match?”

“Sorta. Cassie, you might want to sit down.”

“Why?”

“Because when I tell you how Daya burnt our apartment you might feel a little weak.” Cassie took a seat in one of the unburned chairs. Charlie took a deep breath before saying, “When I came home yesterday, and I swear to God, Cas, I tried to stop her, but…she…”

“What? Dammit, Charlie! Spit it out. She what?”

“She found your old screenplays and before I could stop her she…set them on fire.” He waited for Cassie’s response but she only sat blinking at him. “Cassie? Say something, sweetie, please.” After another minute of silence she let out a large burst of laughter. Charlie was confused and worried.

“No,” she shook her head. “No. She wouldn’t do that. You saw wrong. It was something else. Because she wouldn’t do that. You hear me, Charlie?”

He gently rubbed her hand. “I hear you, Cas.”

“She wouldn’t do that. She wouldn’t. Because no matter how angry she is at me or how much she may hate me she would _never_ do that to me. No. She knows how important my work is to me. She wouldn’t do that.” She was rambling

“O-okay, Cas. Just calm down. You’re scaring me.”

“She wouldn’t do that. And I’ll prove it! I’ll go get them now.” Cassie sprung out of the chair and marched to her bedroom.

Charlie rubbed his hand down his face. He wasn’t sure how he was going to comfort her when she came back empty handed. He heard Cassie let out a scream. He shot to his feet, “Cas? Cassie?” He stopped short when he got to her bedroom door. He didn’t know—how could he—that Daya had destroyed their bedroom first. Cassie sat on the floor cradling pieces of broken jewelry in her hand.

She looked at him, tears streaming down her face, and said, “Why would she do this? This was my mama’s necklace. It was the only thing I had left of hers! She knew how much this meant to me! Why would she destroy it?” Cassie picked up the remaining pieces of the necklace and hysterically tried to piece them together.

“Cas…” Charlie gently placed his hand on her shoulder. She shook it off.

“No! I can fix it. I just need to…I can…” She dropped the pieces, curled into a ball and wailed; the sound filling the apartment.

——————-

Tom lay in his bed staring up at the ceiling. He yawned and rubbed his eyes. His body was tired but his mind continued to race. He couldn’t get the fight he and Cassie had yesterday afternoon out of his head. He tried texting and DM-ing her on Twitter all morning but got no response. _Of course she’s not talking to you, you dumb cunt. Why would she?_ For all he knew, she probably had his number blocked or was plotting some revenge fantasy with Charlie. _Hmph. You deserve whatever you get, you cowardly piece of shit._ His cell rang drawing him from his thoughts. When he saw Cassie’s name he answered without hesitation. “Hello, Cassie? Charlie? Why are you calling me on Cassie’s phone?…Wait, slow down what happened?”

———————-

Tom was slightly out of breath when he reached the fifth floor. Cassie’s apartment door was already opened. “Hello?”

“Tom,” Charlie called out. “She’s in here.” Tom followed Charlie to Cassie’s bedroom. She was no longer crying but she was still curled in a ball amongst her belongings.

“Cassie,” Tom asked gently. She didn’t answer. He called her name again but still got no answer. “How long has she been like this,” he asked Charlie.

“About the last forty minutes. I don’t know what to do. You’re the only other person I knew to call.”

“Okay.” Tom slowly walked into the bedroom and squatted down next to her. He gently touched her shoulder. “Cassie? What’s wrong?”

She lifted up the broken necklace. “It’s the only thing I have of my mom’s. It’s the most precious thing I have in the world and she broke it.”

“Who, darling? Who broke it?

“Daya," Cassie answered sniffling. "She destroyed my room, burned my scripts, and broke the only thing I had left of my mother.” Her eyes began to water. “Why?”

Tom sat next to her. “I don’t know.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Maybe because she’s jealous and insecure.”

“Why would she be jealous of me? She’s gorgeous and talented and has everything. All I had was a couple of awards, a two minimum wage jobs, and this.” She ran her index finger over the scraps of jewelry in her palm. She closed her eyes and the water in them became tears.

“No, Cassie. Don’t cry. Please don’t cry. I don’t think I can take it. Everything’s going to be all right.”

“Please stop lying to me, Tom,” Cassie scoffed. “I have no home, no clothes…” She laughed lightly. “I have nothing.”

“Now you know that’s not true. You have Charlie,” Tom wiped away her tears with his thumbs. Her breath hitched slightly as he did.

She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch. His hands were so warm and comforting. She re-opened her eyes and stared into his piercing blue ones. His heart began to race. Her eyes were always so beautiful with their almond shape and dark brown color. He looked at her lips. He hated that even now, in her time of need, he wanted to kiss them. In spite of himself, he leaned in and lightly grazed them with his own. He could almost taste her breath. Cassie said, in a tone barely above a whisper, “Just Charlie? No one else?” He didn’t answer in words. Instead he cupped her chin and, right there, with the remnants of her broken life strewn about them, brought her lips to his.

 Charlie smiled watching them. “About damn time.”


	7. Day Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tom and Cassie's relationship finally blossoms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After rereading over this I found that I was completely unhappy with the smut so I rewrote it. :)

Tom opened the fridge and took out a bottle of water. He wiped the sweat of his daily morning run from his brow. His mind wandered to yesterday’s events while he gulped the water down. Her voice, low and seductive, echoed in his head: _Just Charlie? No one else?_ He smiled remembering the feel of Cassie’s lips. Tom could have kissed her all day. Her lips were so soft; her breath was warm and sweet. He bit his bottom lip as if it could conjure up her taste. He had waited months for just a kiss. A soft, wet kiss. He rubbed his hands down his face. He was a grown ass man but Cassie had somehow reduced him to an infatuated teenager. He let out his signature laugh. “Boy, you got it bad,” he said aloud before tossing the bottle in the recycling bin and making his way to the bathroom. He opened the door and was surprised to see Cassie standing in front of the mirror applying Vaseline to the mark on her right cheek.

She smiled when she saw him. “Hey,” she said tenderly.

“Hello,” he said. He took the opportunity to look her up and down. She wore shorts that hugged her ample ass and a tank that made her perky nipples visible. He let out a slight moan.

“Tom…I think…” Before she could finish her thought he grabbed her, lifted her onto the counter and kissed her. He sucked on her bottom lip before biting it lightly; drawing a moan from her in response. His hands came up to her reddish brown curly hair and grabbed a handful of it. He pulled her head back and traced his tongue across her jaw line and down her neck. She continued moaning; the sound making him slightly hard. He ran his large hand down her side and she audibly winced in pain.

Tom withdrew his hand. “I’m sorry. Am I hurting you?”

“It’s not your fault, Tom. I’m still hurting from my fight with Daya earlier this week.” She lifted her shirt and showed him her fading bruise. Tom tensed his jaw and looked away. He could kill Daya for how she hurt Cassie. Cassie, reading his facial expression, said, “Hey. Don’t worry about it. I’ve had worst, trust. I’ll be fine in a week or so.”

Tom eyes fell at the “week or so” comment. That meant another week where he would have to contain himself. He wanted nothing more than to grab Cassie and fuck her fast and hard but he’d be willing to wait if it meant not hurting her. But it was going to be one hell of a slow week. “It’s for the best I guess. We don’t want to wake Charlie.”

Cassie chuckled. “Please. If Charlie were to overhear us fucking on the bathroom counter he would burst in here with a box of condoms and, I don’t know, edible underwear or some shit.”

Tom laughed. “You know, I think you’re right. I think out of all of us he was the happiest for that kiss.”

“I think he would have thrown us a party if he had the money.” Tom smiled and kissed her. “No, Tom. You can’t kiss me like that.”

“Why not,” he asked before kissing her again. She moaned and wrapped her legs around him. He took the opportunity to grab her shapely thigh with one hand; the other moved down the small of her back.

Cassie gently pushed him away. “You know why not,” she said breathlessly. “We literally just talked about why not.”

He leaned in. “You said no to fucking. I don’t recall you saying no to kissing.”

“I hate you so much,” she said before drawing him in and pressing her lips against his.

——————

“Goddammit,” Cassie yelled at the top of her lungs while throwing a torn book across her bedroom.

Charlie ran into the room. “What’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong? Just look around you, Charlie.” She picked up a copy of Alex Haley’s _Roots_ —majority of its pages were ripped out. “Look what she did to my Hayley. Oh, and don’t get me started on my Hughes collection.” She picked up a box and handed it to him. Charlie shook his head while rifling through the box. It was filled to the brim with ripped out pages. He pulled out a hardcover book spine and looked back at Cassie with widened eyes. “Yep. She gutted them, Charlie. I haven’t found my Angelou or Morrison yet but I can guess that she did the same to them.”

Charlie threw the spine back in the box and wrapped his arms around Cassie. “I’m so sorry, girl. If I ever see that bitch…”

Cassie waved her hand. “No. Don’t even worry about it.” She sighed and grabbed a torn shirt. “We’re about to be out this bitch anyway. We’re gonna move on and up without her.”

Charlie smirked, “Well…that’s awfully big of you. I remember you saying last night that you could strangle that bitch with your bare hands. And now this morning you’re all kumbaya about this shit. What a difference a day makes…”

“Don’t start,” she said pointing to him. “I just don’t want her to ruin this day any more than she already has.”

“Mmm-hmmm. Or maybe you’re on some sexual high.”

“What?” A broad smile grew on her face. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Mmm-hmmm. Spill it, girl. Tell me all about ya’ll little sexcapdes.”

“Charlie…Nothing happened. You were at his apartment with us the whole night. When could we have possibly done anything?”

“I went to sleep at eleven. Whole lotta hours between eleven and ten, Cas.”

“Stop it. And wipe that damn grin off your face.”

“Not until you give up the deets.”

Cassie shook her head and laughed. “There are no ‘deets’!”

“Liar! I told you all about me and my ex’s sex life.”

“Yeah, even when I didn’t want to hear it. God, I can’t even look at James anymore without seeing him as a—what did you call him?—a  ‘walking fuck stick’.

Charlie let out a loud laugh. “That reminds me, I should give him a call.”

Cassie laughed. “I can already imagine the conversation.” She put her hand to her head as if she were on the phone and mimicked Charlie’s Texan accent. “‘Hello, James. This is Charlie. How do you feel about driving up to Cali and giving me some of that magic stick?” They both laughed.

“What’s so funny,” Tom asked entering the room with empty boxes.

“Cassie was just telling me about all that good sexin’ you put on her after I went to bed last night,” Charlie said.

Cassie gasped and put her hand over his mouth. “Ignore him. He’s being bad.”

Tom smiled and placed his hand on Charlie’s shoulder. “I’m sorry to disappoint you, Charles, but nothing happened last night. We talked for an hour and then we went to bed. Separately.”

Charlie pulled Cassie's hand from over his mouth. “Mmm-hmmm. I still think you assholes are lying to me.” He grabbed one of the empty boxes and walked toward the exit. “Cassie’s gonna tell me later anyway.”

She threw a shirt at him. “Bye, Charlie!” She shook her head. “That boy is a damn mess.”

“Yeah.” He pulled her into a kiss.

She pushed him away. “Tom, no. We still have a lot of work to do.”

“I know but I thought it was time for a break.”

“Tom, we can’t take a break every twenty minutes to make out. We’d never get finished packing up my shit.”

“I guess,” Tom said pouting. He ran the back of his hand down her arm and slowly looked back up into her eyes. Cassie breath slowed. Did he have to look at her like that?

“Don’t give me that look, Thomas.”

“What look,” he asked; his pout turning into a mischievous grin. He kissed her lightly on her forehead, then her nose, followed by her cheek. He ran his thumb across her bottom lip; she parted them as he did so.

“Okay,” she breathed, “but just one break.”

——————-

It took the trio and extra hour to pack up Cassie and Charlie’s belongings thanks to Cassie and Tom’s “breaks.” Last night, he had offered to let them both stay at his place for as long as they needed until their apartment was fixed. Charlie jumped at the chance but Cassie was wary about imposing on his space (yet again). It would be crowded, no doubt, but he’d much rather them spend the next month or so with him than at the motel they spent the night in. Charlie had to leave for his shift at his job which left all the heavy lifting to Tom. He set down the last of the boxes filled with Cassie’s belongings with a groan. “That’s the last one.”

Cassie smiled and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you, grandpa.”

“Hey! That box was really heavy!”

“Oh, I believe you.” She looked away.

“What? Look at these biceps.” He flexed his muscles and Cassie bit back a laugh at the action.

“Yeah, Tom, they’re nice but like…Chris Hemsworth’s are bigger so…”

“How dare you!” He lunged at her causing her to squeal and run in response. “You can’t run from me, Cassie!”

“True! But I can try!” She ran around the couch then the dining room table before heading to the hall—if she could make it to the bedroom she’d be able to lock him out. Tom, however, was right behind her the whole way. He scooped her up by her waist and put her over his shoulder. “No! Put me down!”

“Not until you apologize, Shorty!”

“Never,” she laughed. “Chris Hemsworth’s arms could smother your arms and you know it!”

“See…I didn’t want to do this but you made me.”

“D-do what?” Her question was answered by a firm smack on her ass. She let out a yelp from the surprise hit. “Tom, please no. I’m sorry.”

“I don’t believe you.” He smacked her ass again.

She cried out again. “No! I’ll behave! I swear!”

“Liar!” On the third hit, Cassie tried to hold back a moan but Tom heard her. “Wait…Are you secretly enjoying this?”

Cassie took a slight pause before answering. “No… Please don’t hit me again.”

Tom smiled mischievously and hit her again hard. This time, Cassie couldn’t hold back the moan. Tom put her down in front of him. “Well look at this,” he said pushing her into the back of the couch; his tall frame towering over her. “I think I found a kink. I like.”

“I…,” she began to speak but his lips once again stopped her. He ran his hand over the top of her shorts and unbuttoned them and stuck his hand inside her underwear. Her breath hitched as he ran his long fingers over the folds of her pussy. He smiled when he found that she was slightly wet. “Tom…I….”

“Shh…” He slipped his fingers into her and slowly began to pump them in and out of her. She shuddered at the sensation. He watched her as she gently closed her eyes and bit her bottom lip. She began to gently rock her hips against his fingers. Eager to taste her, he pulled his fingers out of her and brought them to his lips. He sucked off her juices with a “mmmm…” Cassie could have come from that sight alone.

She watched as he slowly fell to his knees and pulled her shorts down with him. He did the same with her underwear. If she knew they were going to do this today she would have worn something sexy instead of her cute Sailor Moon panties she bought on a whim last week. Tom, however, didn’t mind. They were just another barrier between him and her pussy. He placed one leg over his shoulder. She grabbed on to the back of the couch for support and immediately groaned audibly at the pain it caused her.

“I’m sorry,” Tom apologized. He had gotten so eager to finally have her that he forgot that her body was still healing. “Is this uncomfortable?”

“No. It’s just…my side…” Tom nodded and lowered her leg. She wanted him to taste her so badly but the pain made even the slightest movements unbearable. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.” He gave her a soft kiss on the lips to reassure her that he wasn’t upset. He had been dying to have here, like this, for so long and wasn’t about to give up on finally being able to touch and taste her. “Lay on the ground,” he said the words softly but with a hint of authority. Cassie, also desperate to have him taste her, did as he commanded without comment. “Tell me when it hurts and I’ll stop, okay?” She nodded and her heart began to beat faster in anticipation.

Tom lifted one of her legs over his shoulder. “Does this hurt?” She shook her head no. He smiled and slowly licked and kissed down her leg. He moved into her inner thigh and her breathing slowed in anticipation. He bit it lightly (causing her to let out a moan at the feeling) before placing her leg back down. He lifted her other leg and repeated his actions.

“Please, Tom,” she whined, “Don’t tease me.” She wanted—no needed—to know what that tongue felt like inside her. He smiled at the sound of her begging for him. He decided to stop teasing her (and himself) and lifted one leg on his shoulder. He kissed her lower lips before separating them with his index and thumb and flicking his tongue against her clit. She let out shuddered breaths as he began to suck on her clit as he eased two of his long fingers inside her and pumped slowly. “Hmmm….Yes….”

He danced his tongue across her clit as he increased the speed of his fingers moving in and out of her. The sound of his fingers slicking in her wetness and the wound of his name falling from her lips in between her groans of pleasure sounded like a heavenly chorus to him. He rocked his hips against the hardwood floor to alleviate his throbbing cock.

He dipped his tongue inside her as his fingers moved to her clit. He lapped at her flowing juices; only stopping to pull back and mumble, “You taste better than I imagined, Cassie,” before returning his tongue inside her. She smiled at the comment before succumbing again to the magic his tongue was performing on her pussy.

The sensation was so good she mumbled, “Nonononono…” before trying to climb away. “It’s too much, Tom.” He glared at her and pulled her back to him. He continued to rotate between fucking her with his fingers and tongue and licking and sucking her clit causing her to throw her head back in ecstasy. “Oh shit….Oh shit…No, no…I’m gonna come.” Hearing her say that seemed to spur him on even more. He smiled and moaned against her as he continued his assault on her pussy. She clawed at the floor and screamed out, “Fuck! To-o-om!” and curled her toes as she came around his fingers.

Tom wiped her off his lips. “Good girl.”

Although she was fairly exhausted, she grabbed the back of his neck and pulled herself up to kiss him. She moaned against his lips. She loved tasting herself on a lover’s tongue. “Fuck me,” she whispered. God how often had he dreamed of hearing her say those words?

Tom quickly removed his shirt and Cassie removed hers along with her bra. She now laid before him in all her naked glory. She was a sight to behold. Tom smiled upon seeing those beautiful small, perky breasts; her nipples hard with arousal. Her curly hair framed her face; and the way her eyes were low and hazy from her fresh orgasm and her full lips seeming to rest in a pout made her even more seductive.

"My god, Cassie," he said still soaking her in. "You are beautiful.

She smiled. If she were pale skinned her body would have flushed red from blushing. “Thank you,” she replied softly at the compliment.

Cassie’s eyes fell to Tom’s pants. He was hard and she desperately wanted to see him in all his glory. Tom smirked while unbuckling his belt. He removed it and threw it away from him. Next he removed his pants and underwear until he stood fully naked in front of her. Cassie licked her lips at the view. He was beautiful. Those long legs leading up to his narrow hips which held pronounced cuts that lead to his (very) impressive cock.

She got on her knees before him and wrapped her hands around his cock. She licked the pre-cum from the tip before kissing it. Tom wiped her curls from her face. He watched as she skillfully licked up the underside of his cock before rolling her tongue around the tip of it. Her eyes remained on him as she wrapped her lips around him. She began to bob her head on his length as she sucked him. Every now and again she would free him from her mouth to stroke and lick him before wrapping her lips around him again. “Fuck! Cassie!”

She pulled him out of her mouth again. “Lie down,” she instructed. “I want to ride you.” Tom smiled and did as he was told.

Cassie climbed on top of him. She guided him to her entrance and slowly lowered herself onto him. She bit her lip as he filled her. Tom gritted his teeth. “Fuck…” Even his wildest dreams about her had nothing on the actual feeling of being inside her. She was so wet and warm. She placed her hands gently on his chest and slowly began to bounce on his dick.

Tom ran his hands up her thighs as he watched her humble breasts bounce with her movements. Her mouth hung open slightly as she panted while she switched between bouncing on his cock and grinding on him. She leaned over and kissed him. He jutted his tongue in her mouth and she could still faintly taste herself on it.

He trailed his hands down her body and firmly grabbed her ass. He slapped one side before raking his nails across both cheeks. She began to grind harder against him. She sucked on his bottom lip before catching it between her teeth. The action made him tighten the grip on her ass and thrust up into her hard.

"Yes…," she called out. Although she was loving the feeling of him fucking her like this, the pain in her side began to worsen with. She winced and let out an "ow" at the pain.

Upon hearing it, Tom immediately stopped. “Are you okay? Am I hurting you? Do you want me to stop,” he asked.

Cassie began rocking her hips. “Don’t…you fucking dare stop.”

"Fuck," he said softly at the feeling of her grinding against him again; he slowly began moving his hips in rhythm with hers. "Are…shit! Are you sure?"

She kissed him again. “Fuck…me…Thomas.”

Tom crushes his lips against hers. He grabbed a handful of her curls with one hand and wrapped his other arm around the small of her back and slammed into her. He licked across her jaw and down her neck as he fucked her hard and fast. “Fuck fuck fuck,” he cried out with each thrust.

Cassie’s side raged with pain but she ignored it. Surprisingly she found that she enjoyed the strange mixture of pain and pleasure. “I’m-I’m….gonna…come.”

Tom rubbed her clit. “That’s right. Come for me, Cassie.” She dug her nails into his chest as she came. Tom gritted his teeth and came after her.

Cassie fell over him. “That was…wow…,” she said between breaths.

Tom brushed a curl away and kissed her forehead. “Yeah…wow…”

Cassie rolled off of him and he missed her weight and warmth immediately. She got up and extended out her hand for him to take. “Come on, grandpa. You got me dirty now come clean me up.”

He gently slapped her hand away and pulled himself up. “There you go again with that ‘grandpa’ shit. When are you ever going to learn?”

“Well, you know what they say…,” she said running her hands down his stomach. “‘A hard head makes a soft behind’.”

Tom pulled her into his arms and smiled. “Indeed it does.” He smacked her ass causing her to giggle before pulling her towards the bathroom.

 


End file.
